Mini Goat Cheese Tarts

As soon as I hear about a party, a holiday or really any event, I immediately start planning the food I'm going to bring. So when my friend Eileen had a house warming party, I decided to pull out all the stops and make some really fun appetizers.

I was a little worried that people wouldn't be into goat cheese, but these were a huge success. I assembled them at the party so there was no trouble with transport.

The cornmeal tart crust recipe is borrowed from my friend Hans and the rest was just sort of an experiment.


Mini Goat Cheese Tarts
(makes 48-60 tarts)
8 oz soft goat cheese
8 oz cream cheese, softened
handful of fresh herbs, minced (parsley, chives, whatever you have)

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup, 1 tbsp cornmeal
1 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, cold, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup of cold water

20 cherry tomatoes.

Mix goat cheese, cream cheese and fresh herbs. Transfer to a piping bag or plastic baggie.

Slice tomatoes and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
With a pastry blender or a food processor, mix the flour with the cornmeal and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is the size of small peas. Sprinkle with the water and pulse just until the pastry is evenly moistened. Transfer to a lightly floured board and pat into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate the pastry for 30 minutes (or overnight, till you need it basically).

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry dough. Cut off enough to fit into mini tart pan and repeat as necessary until desired amount are made. Cook until firm and remove. (About 15 minutes.) Let them cool, then pipe goat cheese into each tart.

Top them with a slice of tomato.