Appetizer Tomato, Olive and Goat Cheese Tarts
Appetizer · French Cooking Classes · Provencal Recipes · TasteThis appetizer, a Provence Gourmet recipe for tomato, olive and goat cheese tarts, is delicious. We prepared the tarts for a starter course during one of Gilles Conchy’s cooking classes. If you are looking for hands-on, fun classes in Provence, then look no further. Gilles puts you to work preparing traditional Provencal recipes and some of his personal creations.
The tarts include a few easy steps, making the pastry shells, preparing the green olive tapenade, chopping tomatoes and the goat cheese topping. It’s not complicated, and the result makes for a lovely starter course with a green salad or a savoury bite with cocktails.
Tomato Olive Tarts - Appetizer
There are a few steps to this recipe, but don't be put off. There is nothing complicated, and you will love the result. As a bonus, the little tart shells are a bit like savoury shortbread so you can serve those on their own. And, if you make too much olive tapenade, it will keep for a few days in the fridge.
Ingredients
For the Tomato Tart:
- 250 g (1 cup) flour
- 125 g (1/2 cup) Parmesan cheese grated
- 125 g (1/2 cup) melted butter
- 1 egg
- a pinch of Salt
- 3 heirloom tomatoes washed and chopped
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- olive oil
- to taste salt and pepper
- a small bunch fresh thyme
For the Green Olive Tapenade:
- 350 g (2 cups) green olives pitted
- 50 g (2 oz) pine nuts lightly grilled
- a handful of fresh basil washed
- 1 can Tuna in oil drained
- 2 tsp capers
- 50 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
- pepper
Topping and Serving:
- 2 rounds fresh goat cheese
- 2 cups Mixed Greens
Instructions
Prepare the Tart Shells:
- Mix the flour, parmesan cheese, butter, egg and salt all together until combined.
- Shape dough to the size of your molds (muffin tin or another pan).
- Bake 10 minutes at 350F° to brown slightly.
- Once out of the oven, spread 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard on the crusts.
- Chop the tomatoes and put aside.
Prepare the Green Olive Tapenade :
- Taste an olive and if too salty soak them in a bowl of water for an hour.
- In a mixer, add the drained olives, tuna and capers, the slightly grilled pine seeds, a handful worth of fresh basil leaves, olive oil and pepper.
- Mix it all together to form a paste.
- If the mixture is too dry add a little more oil.
Prepare the Tarts:
- Scoop the tapenade into your pastry shells.
- Add the chopped tomatoes on top of the tapenade.
- Drizzle with olive oil, add salt, pepper and thyme.
- Top with a piece of goat cheese.
- Put the tarts back in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Serve barely warm with seasonal lettuce.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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