The roasted tomato and goat cheese tart was a bit of a last minute addition to the menu but one I’m glad I made. I’ve never had goat cheese and there’s quite a bit of goat cheese in this recipe so I wasn’t sure I’d like it. I also wasn’t entirely sure how the rest of the group felt about goat cheese so it was risky, but in the end, the tart was a hit! Puff pastry is baked, then topped with goat cheese and a combination of roasted tomatoes, shallots, and garlic and baked one final time. The buttery puff pastry is a great combination with the tangy goat cheese and sweet roasted tomatoes. It’s a simple, yet elegant, dish that could easily work as an appetizer too (maybe for a New Year’s Eve or Day gathering?). It can also be prepped ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 1 day before its final bake.
By Tracey
Roasted Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts
from The Best Make-Ahead Recipe by editors of Cook’s Illustrated
Ingredients:
Shells
- 1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed and cut into two 9 by 4 1/2-inch rectangles
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Filling
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 medium shallot, halved and sliced thin
- 3 large garlic cloves, sliced thin
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 8 ounces fresh goat cheese, softened
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 F. Lay the puff pastry rectangles on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the pastry with the egg and poke holes all over with a fork. Bake the shells for 10 minutes at 425 F then decrease the oven temperature to 350 F and continue to bake until the shells are golden brown and crisp, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool the shells completely.
Toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of the oil, vinegar, shallot, garlic, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a baking dish. Roast the tomatoes, without stirring, until the skins are slightly shriveled but the tomatoes retain their shape, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Mix the goat cheese with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil until smooth then season with salt and pepper to taste. Use a paring knife to cut a 1/2-inch border around the edge of the cooled pastry shells and then press the centers of the shells down gently so they rest about 1/4-inch lower than the edges. Spread the goat cheese mixture evenly over the shells. Top with the roasted tomato mixture.
The assembled tarts can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 1 day. When ready to serve, preheat oven to 425 F. Brush the edges of the tart with the egg and then bake until the shells are a deep golden brown and the topping is hot, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer the sheet to a rack to cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkles with basil and slice to serve.
