Chevre, Pesto and Cherry Tomato Pastries
One doesn't normally think of cherry tomatoes as a spring vegetable, but they always appear right along with the asparagus and green garlic…. Before their bigger cousins are ready.
French elections – after the recipe
Purchased puff pastry makes these little tarts a snap.
Other than giving the leek a quick sauté, this is just a matter of assembling and baking.
You can use any semi-soft cheese ( Brie or Camembert), but I prefer the a slightly aged Chevre (goat). It normally comes log-shaped (long, round), and wrapped in paper. It will have a thin rind that is an edible part of the cheese.
Cherry Tomato Pastries
Preparation and cooking time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 – 3oz (75gr) goat cheese or other semi-soft cheese, enough to almost cover the area
- 1 small leek
- 2 tbs pesto
- 6 cherry tomatoes (1" diameter, 2.5cm) or 8 – 10 grape tomatoes
- 3 – 4 fresh basil leaves for garnish, optional
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 sheet puff pastry – freeze what you don't use
Instructions:
- Thaw the puff pastry, if needed.
- Slice goat cheese 1/4" (.6cm) thick, either 2 large or 6 small (see above).
- Cut tomatoes in half.
- Snip basil.
- Trim leeks and slice thinly.
- Heat oil in small skillet. Add leeks and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Lay out puff pastry and either cut 2 circles, 5 inches in diameter (11 – 13 cm) or 2 squares, 5" (12cm).
- Lay the cut pastry on a baking sheet. With a dull knife (butter knife) lightly etch around the pastry, 1/3" (.75cm) from the edge.
- Divide the leeks and spread within the etched lines.
- Lay the cheese on top, cutting smaller slices to roughly fit.
- Spread pesto on top of the cheese, dividing evenly.
- Put tomatoes cut side down on top of pesto.
- Bake in pre-heated oven at 420F (205C) for 12 – 15 minutes, until sides of pastry have puffed around middle and are golden brown.
- Remove, garnish with fresh basil and serve.
The first round of the French presidential elections are this Sunday.
For the curious – this is the bit of information I picked up about it:
There are 10 candidates on the ballot for the first round of voting. That will / should be narrowed down to 2 candidates for the final round of voting on Sunday, May 6.
Every registered voter in France has received an envelope with a 4 page bit on each candidate: a full page photo followed by 3 pages of the candidates pearls of wisdom and promises for the future.
Also in the envelope are 10 sheets of paper, about 5" X 7" (12cm X 17cm). Each piece of paper has one of the candidate's name on it.
To vote, the piece of paper with the name of the selected candidate is folded, inserted into a small envelope and taken to the polling station on Sunday.
I assume (but don't know for sure) that each voter is cross-referenced against a list
I don't think the 'vote early and vote often' theory is advocated in France, either.
As to who will win? (Gallic shrug here)
This looks absolutely yummy!
This is so the sort of food I love and I have loads of basil growing !!!!
Nice combo … now I don’t have puff pastry in the freeze today but I do have pizza dough in the fridge 🙂 what’d ya say! I think so too!
Brassfrog, thanks…. they were 😉
manningroad, I can’t wait until I get fresh basil. We had a week of spring, then winter returned – with a vengeance – and it’s the end of April!!!!
Tanna, great minds think alike – perfect!
I actually just made a batch of pesto so I totally wanna whip this up!
This is a beauty – love the goat cheese and the pesto layering. And the cherry tomatoes are good substitutes until the summer tomatoes appear.
Feats on the Cheap – I can’t wait until I can make pesto… but, first it has to stop raining so I can plant the basil….
Claudia, pesto and goat cheese are a great match.