Tomato Saffron And Parmesan Tartlets Food

TINY TOMATO TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• On a lightly floured work surface, unfold the puff pastry and roll lightly to flatten. Using a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut out pastry circles and place, evenly spaced, on the parchment.
• Using a fork, generously prick (dock) the pastry circles to the edges.
• Spread 1 teaspoon of the pesto on each circle, almost to the edge. Place a slice of tomato on top, and drizzle a tiny drop of olive oil over.
• Bake until puffed and golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

TOMATO, SAFFRON AND PARMESAN TARTLETS

Steps:

• Make the filling. Put the olive oil and garlic in a medium pan over a medium heat. As soon as the garlic begins to sizzle, add the tomatoes, sugar and bay leaves. Simmer very gently for about 1 hour, stirring frequently, until well reduced and thickened. It mustn't be at all wet or sloppy. When it's just about to start catching on the base of the pan, it's ready. Remove and discard the bay leaves, stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, for the pastry cases, sift the flour and ó tsp salt into a food processor, add the butter and lard, then whizz together briefly until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the parmesan, then add the water and whizz briefly until the mixture comes together in a ball. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth, then divide into six pieces (about 70g each). Roll out into 15cm discs, then use to line 6 lightly buttered tartlet tins. Prick the bases with a fork and chill for 20 minutes.
• Heat a frying pan, then add the saffron strands and toss around for a few seconds. Tip into a mortar and leave to cool (they will go brittle). Meanwhile, warm 2 tbsp of the cream in a small pan. Grind the saffron to a fine powder with the pestle, then add to the cream and set aside.
• Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/ gas 6 with a baking sheet inside. Line the pastry cases with small squares of foil and fill with baking beans. Put on the hot baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until the edges are biscuit-coloured. Remove the foil and beans, then return the cases to the oven for 5-7 minutes until the bases are golden. Remove from the oven and lower the heat to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5.
• Beat the eggs, egg yolk, saffron mixture and remaining cream in a jug, then stir in the 25g parmesan and salt to taste. Spoon an equal amount of the tomato sauce into each tartlet case. Top with about 5 tomatoes, then carefully pour over some creamy saffron mixture. Put on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until set and lightly golden.

SAVOURY PARMESAN TARTLETS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roll out pastry sheet on a lightly floured work surface to a large oblong measuring 30 x 40cm. Stamp out 24 rounds with a 6.5cm round cutter, then carefully place them in fairy cake or muffin tins to form tiny tarts. Prick the bases with a fork.
• Brush the pastry with the beaten egg, scatter with the parmesan and bake for 10-12 mins until golden. Scrunch the pastry trimmings together, then re-roll and stamp out 4 more rounds. Glaze and bake as before. When all the pastry cases come out of the oven, roast the cherry tomato halves on a baking tray for 8 mins. The cases will keep in a tin for up to 3 days or freeze for 3 months. The tomatoes will keep in the fridge for 24 hrs.
• To serve, fill some cases with a teaspoon of hummus, a cherry tomato and a few snipped chives. Fill others with soft cheese, a twirl of salmon, dill and black pepper and capers, if you like.

TOMATO & SAFFRON TART

Steps:

• On the day before, roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line a loose-bottomed 23cm/9in tart tin. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C.
• Line the pastry case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and brush the pastry all over with beaten egg. Return to the oven for 10 minutes until lightly browned, then leave to cool in the tin. Once cold, tent loosely with foil and keep in a cool place.
• Make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a very large heavy-bottomed frying pan and fry the onion, celery and garlic for 10 minutes until soft and transparent. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for at least 30 minutes until the sauce is thick and jammy. Remove the bay leaf. You can use the sauce as it is, or make a coarsely textured puree in the food processor to give it enough bite to complement the heavenly, trembly custard that comes to rest on it. Leave to cool, then keep in a covered container in the fridge.
• On the day, preheat the oven to 160C/gas 3/fan 140C and put a large baking sheet in the oven to heat up. Make the saffron custard. Warm 4 tbsp cream in a small pan with the saffron threads and their water, then infuse for 5 minutes. Beat the eggs and yolks in a jug; stir in the remaining cream and the saffron cream (do this with a fork, as saffron threads wrap round a whisk). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Spread about half the tomato sauce over the pastry, to come almost halfway up the pastry case (freeze the rest to use another time). Place on the heated baking sheet, then very carefully pour in the saffron custard (you may not get it all in if your tin is shallow, but it doesn't matter). Bake for 30-40 minutes until the custard is tremblingly set and has turned an intense golden colour with brown patches.
• To serve, cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a serving platter. Leave at room temperature and serve scattered with basil leaves.

TOMATO AND PARMESAN TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Arrange the puff pastry dough on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• Remove the pastry from the oven and spread it with pesto. Next cover the pastry with overlapping slices of tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover the tomatoes with the grated Parmesan and return it to the oven. Bake until the cheese has melted, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and cut it into 6 equal pieces. Arrange the tarts on serving plates and drizzle with balsamic reduction.
• To make Balsamic Reduction: Combine the balsamic vinegar and sugar in a small sauce pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half and has a syrupy consistency, about 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat and allow reduction to cool before using.
• Yield: about 2 cups

TOMATO TARTLETS

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, sage leaves and rosemary sprig to skillet. Simmer tomato mixture until reduced to 1 1/2 cups thick purée, about 30 minutes. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet to thickness of 1/8 inch. Using 7-inch-diameter plate as guide, cut out 3 pastry dough rounds. Repeat with remaining puff pastry sheet, forming a total of 6 rounds. Place 3 rounds on each of 2 large baking sheets.
• Spread generous 2 tablespoons tomato purée over each puff pastry round, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Arrange tomato rounds over purée on pastry. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper. Bake until tart crusts are golden, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix fresh basil and remaining 2 minced garlic cloves in bowl. Gradually whisk in remaining 1/3 cup oil.
• Drizzle 1 tablespoon basil-oil mixture over each tartlet and serve.

TOMATO AND CHEDDAR TARTLETS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Unroll 1 pie dough into a round. Arrange three 4 1/4-inch nonstick tartlet pans on the dough and use a paring knife to cut a circle of dough around each that is about 1/2 inch larger than the pan; these don't have to be perfect, but you want to make sure you cut enough excess dough to fill the pan and up the sides. Press the dough evenly into each pan; if any excess dough goes over the top, simply use the top edge of the tartlet pan to cut it away. Use a fork to dock the bottom of the pie crusts. Repeat this process with 3 more tartlet pans and the remaining pie dough. Place the 6 tartlet pans on a baking sheet and put in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, toss together the cherry tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper. Let the tomatoes sit for 10 to 15 minutes for the flavors to combine.
• Bake the crusts until the dough is cooked part of the way through without any color and bubbles form on the bottom and sides, about 6 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• To each tartlet, add about 3 tablespoons of grated Cheddar and spread evenly over the bottom. Top the cheese in each with 8 tomato halves cut-side up, making sure to get some garlic with each tomato. Bake until the crusts are golden brown, the cheese is bubbling and the tomatoes are softened but have not burst, about 30 minutes. Let cool until cool enough to handle, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the tartlets from the tart pans and garnish with small basil leaves.
• These tartlets can be stored in the refrigerator after they have cooled completely and reheated in the oven the next day for great leftovers!

SALMON TARTLET APPETIZERS

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat butter, cream cheese and flour until smooth. Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into balls; press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased miniature muffin cups. , In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, butter and lemon juice. Stir in crumbs, parsley, sage, salt and pepper. Fold in salmon and onion. Spoon into shells. , Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until browned.