Savory Tartlets

Shared by Chef MJ Adams

I find that most parties tend to have more sweets than savory items so I enjoy making these when I am invited over to someone’s home, or if I have guests over. I like to serve the tartlets with a glass of champagne or sparkling wine or cider for my non alcoholic guests.  Happy Holidays from my kitchen, Chef MJ Adams

Tartlet dough 

Makes enough to fill two 24 count miniature muffin tins. 

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups All Purpose Flour or I like to use Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Cake Flour                                  

• 1/8 tsp. salt                                                                                                                        

• ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes                                                                                        

• 3-6 T. cold water (I use sparkling water to give the dough an extra crispness) 

Dough Preparation:

• Blend together the flour, butter and salt with your fingertips,  (you could also put in a food processor and gently pulse)  until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Leave some small butter lumps. 

• Slowly drizzle 3 T. water evenly around the mixture and start to bring together with your hands (or pulse in the processor) until incorporates into a ball.  You made need 1 Tbsp. or more of water to bring together. 

• Do not overwork dough. 

• Let rest for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.  

• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 portions. 

• Lightly flour your work surface and flatten each portion out.

 • Gently roll into a large rectangle ,about 1/8” thickness. 

• Take a  2 1/8” round cookie cutter, cut out as many circles as you can from the dough. 

You may also use a similar sized drinking glass.  You could use a 2” cookie cutter but you will need to lightly stretch out the dough to the 2 1/8” size. 

• Set the extra dough aside.

• Gently place the dough into a lightly buttered tartlet pan. They should line the muffin tin.

• Take the other half of the dough and do the same thing and fill the second tin. 

• If you need more circles for the muffin tin,  gently push the scraps together and roll out again and cut.  

Blue Cheese and Potato Filling:

Ingredients:

• 3 medium size yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered. 

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter

• 3 Tbsp of heavy cream

• salt for seasoning. 

• Eight ounces of a good quality blue cheese.

I love Rogue River from Oregon, French Roquefort, Maytag Blue from Iowa or Point Reye from California.

Instructions:

• Boil the potatoes in a pot with enough water to cover them. 

• When you can easily pierce with a knife, drain and add to them the butter and heavy cream. • Mash well till creamy.

• Taste for seasoning.

• Let cool completely.  

Goat cheese and tomato filling: 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of plain goat cheese

• 1 pint of rinsed cherry tomatoes

• 2 Tbsp of heavy cream

• Good olive oil for drizzling

Instruction:

• Bring the goat cheese to room temperature.

• Add the 2 Tbsp of heavy cream

• Mix well till creamy. 

Filling Preparation:

• Take about 1/2 Tbsp of the mashed potato mixture and place it in the center of one of the dough lined muffin tins. 

• Then place a small bit of blue cheese, about a 1/4” square size and place in the center of the mashed potatoes. 

• Do this until the 24 muffin tin is filled.

• With the second muffin tin, take a 1/2 Tbsp of the goat cheese mixture and place it in the center of one of the dough lined muffin tins. 

• Take one cherry tomato cut in half, or if using larger tomatoes you could cut into 1/4’s and place in the center of the goat cheese mixture. 

• Do this until the rest of the muffin tin is filled. 

• Place both of the muffin tins in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill. 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

• Remove from the fridge and put in oven for 25-35 minutes. 

• You want the tart dough to be nicely browned. The mixtures will puff up and brown a little.

• After 15 minutes, gently rotate the entire tin.

• When the tarts have been in 25 minutes, check to see if they are done or if they need more time. 

• Remove from the oven. 

• Take some good olive oil and drizzle a drop onto the top of each hot tartlet. 

I usually pour the olive oil into a small spoon.  This allows for easier control of the oil and I place a drop on each tartlet. 

• You can also put a whisper (small sprinkle) of some nice sea salt also on the top of each. 

• Place on a wooden platter or plate for service. 

They can be eaten at room temperature which I think is best.   

Note:  I have also seen the muffin tin in sizes of 12 per sheet.  That is perfectly fine to use and just let cool completely before filling again with dough. You could easily do the steps up to the lined muffin tins and freeze them covered with saran wrap for a later use.  You could also fill them and place in the fridge and bake off the next day.

If you do not like Blue Cheese you could easily replace with a PepperJack or a cheddar.