Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts -- Barefoot Bloggers

Our second Barefoot Bloggers recipe of March is Ina's Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts, picked by Anne of Anne Strawberry, thanks Anne! I changed this recipe up a little bit, Ina's recipe uses a puff pastry crust and I was more in the mood for a crunchy traditional tart crust. I've been on a pistachio kick lately so I fiddled with a tart dough recipe and added pistachios. Perfect!

I also swapped out onions for mushrooms, parmesan for pecorino romano, used plain goat cheese and cherry tomatoes. These were a wonderful grown-up savory treat. Here is Ina's recipe -- it is so versatile and I think it welcomes any changes to personalize these yummy tarts.

Tomato Goat Cheese Tarts

1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted
Good olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese (recommended: Montrachet)
1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves

Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 by 11-inch square. Using a 6-inch wide saucer or other round object as a guide, cut 2 circles from the sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat with the second pastry sheet to make 4 circles in all. Place the pastry circles on 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.

Place 1/4 of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The bottom sheet pan may need an extra few minutes in the oven. Serve hot or warm.

starting to saute the mushrooms

the pistachio tart crust before baking

I pre-baked the tartlet crusts for about 10 minutes at 375, here they are at the topping station :)

I think I should have added some more mushrooms, I had some left too, I just was too skimpy putting them on

almost ready to bake... and done!

These were delicious and I had a fun time putting them together. I loved them, even though I was the only person in our home remotely interested in eating anything with goat cheese and tomato (silly picky family), I would still make these again :) I can't wait to try some other adaptations of this versatile recipe -- and I really do want to try this as written with the puff pastry at some point, promise!