Blue Cheese Puff Pastry Tarts Recipes

FRENCH ONION AND BLUE CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Start by cooking the onions. They need to be cooked slowly on low heat, so it's best to begin with those.
• Melt the butter in a large nonstick frying pan-we have a load of onions to cook. When the butter has melted, pick off the thyme leaves and add, then add the garlic and onions. Mix everything together.
• Now add the pepper, salt, and sugar and mix. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you have onions that look like the kind you would only eat with a burger in a Sunday market at 6 a.m.!
• While that cooks, start on the pastry. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with some parchment paper or use the paper the pastry comes in and roll out the pastry onto the sheet.
• Using a knife, score a smaller rectangle ½ inch/1cm inside the pastry rectangle, making sure not to cut all the way through. Pierce the inner rectangle with a fork all over to allow the steam to escape when it bakes.
• Brush the edges with the egg and bake for 20 minutes, until golden all over.
• Take out and, using the back of a spoon, push down all the puffed-up pastry of the inner rectangle, creating a nice neat border.
• Take the blue cheese and crumble all over the inner rectangle of the pastry. Add the onions and scatter them all over till you have an even layer. Now bake for 15 minutes.
• Take out and let cool for 10 minutes before eating, sprinkled with the chives.

PEAR, WALNUT & BLUE CHEESE TART

Steps:

• To make the pastry, blitz the walnuts in a food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs. Add the flour and a large pinch of salt. Pulse briefly to combine, then add the butter and pulse until it resembles large crumbs. Add the egg yolk and pulse until the dough comes together (add 1 tbsp cold water if it seems dry). Squash the dough into a disc, then wrap in baking parchment and chill for at least 30 mins.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 5. Heat the butter and 1 tbsp oil in a heavy-based frying pan or skillet over a medium heat, and cook the shallots, sage and chard stalks for 5-8 mins until soft and starting to caramelise. Add the chard leaves and continue to cook until wilted, then remove from the heat.
• Put the chilled pastry between two sheets of baking parchment and roll out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use it to line a 20cm tart tin, then chill for 30 mins until firm. Toss the pear slices in 1-2 tsp oil on a baking sheet.
• Scrunch up a sheet of baking parchment and use it to line the pastry case, then fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins, alongside the pears. Remove both from the oven. Remove the parchment and beans from the pastry case, then bake for 8-10 mins more, until the bottom is golden and crisp.
• Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl, then season with some nutmeg and whisk in the crème fraîche. Stir in the cheese. Pour half the mixture into the tart case, then layer in two-thirds of the chard mixture. Arrange the roasted pear slices and remaining chard mix on top, then pour over the remaining custard. Dot over the walnut halves, then bake for 28-30 mins, or until golden and cooked through. Leave to cool for 20 mins, then slice and serve.

CARAMELIZED ONION & BLUE CHEESE PUFF PASTRY TARTS RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and and stir to coat in oil. Grab a glass of wine and a magazine and plop yourself in front of the stove because you are going to be here for a while. You will cook the onions for 60 minutes total, stirring every 4-5 minutes or so. After they've cooked for 10 minutes add a pinch of salt. After they've cooked for 40 minutes add a teaspoon of sugar. After they've finished cooking for 60 minutes and are a gorgeous dark brown color, deglaze the pan with the white wine, season with salt and pepper to taste, then set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Unwrap the puff pastry and cut along the seams of each sheet, creating 6 rectangles total. Lightly flour your work surface and roll each piece into a 3.5″ x 12″ rectangle. Use a 3″ cookie cutter to make four tarts out of each rectangle. Transfer tarts to (2) parchment lined baking sheets. Combine puff pastry scraps into a ball, roll them out to the same thickness as your previous tarts and use the cookie cutter to make 10-12 more tarts. Arrange tarts on the two baking sheets about an inch apart. You will have 30-32 tarts total. Use a 2″ cookie cutter to score each tart in the center, creating a half inch wide crust. Brush the crust portion of the tart with the egg wash. Heat fig jam in a small saucepan over medium heat just until it becomes loose and spreadable. Spread a teaspoon or so of fig jam in the center of each tart. Top that with a teaspoon or so of caramelized onions. And then, you guessed it, top that with a teaspoon or so of blue cheese. Divide thyme evenly between the tarts, sprinkling a few leaves in the center of each tart. Bake tarts for 15-18 minutes or until the crust starts to get dark golden brown Remove tarts from the oven and drizzle with honey. Serve warm and enjoy! NOTES These tarts are also delicious at room temperature!