Holidays can be stressful when you are trying to accomplish lists and lists of activities in addition to cooking. This Four Cheese Tart with Puff Pastry is the perfect appetizer because with very little preparation you end up with an elegant, special tart you will be proud to serve your guests.
Let’s face it. The holidays are not just every day. They feel different. They feel special. And of course, the food also has to be special. It’s an act of love to make the holidays stand out. You are making memories, not just cooking a meal.
How to Make a Tart out of a Sheet of Puff Pastry
To make this Puff Pastry Cheese Tart, you cut the puff pastry into a base and strips to place around all of the edges so the tart can be filled with a mixture of cheeses. The tart is baked once before the cheeses are added and then again after all the ingredients are added.
Four Cheeses Make this Tart Special
This is not your ordinary cheese tart. The combination of four different cheeses : mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan and feta combined with finely sliced green onions and thyme reminds me of the best grilled cheese I have ever eaten. But better because it’s puff pastry. And puff pastry is so amazingly good that even when you put a lowly hot dog inside it for a “pig in a blanket”, it becomes a party appetizer.
So if you want to hit the ball out of the park, this is your chance. Enjoy the holidays, enjoy having the time to cook what your family loves and savor every minute you spend with your loved ones. The older you get, the more meaningful the holidays. Trust me on that. Please follow me on Instagram @metirementblog and Pinterest @metirementblog if you like this recipe.
Four Cheese Tart with Puff Pastry
This simple to make appetizer looks a lot more fancy and complicated than it really is. Frozen puff pastry cuts down on the prep time and even though the ingredients are basic, the end result is something you can serve at a fancy holiday dinner party.
Ingredients
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry thawed for 30 minutes at room temperature
- 1 egg white lightly beaten
- 1 cup coarsely grated mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions green part only
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
-
Unfold the two pastry sheets on a large piece of parchment. Cut along one fold line to cut off 1/3 of the pastry sheet. Roll out the larger piece until it is 12 x 6 inches. Roll out the smaller piece lengthwise only until it is 12 inches long, leaving the width as is.
-
With a pizza cutter, cut the smaller piece lengthwise strips, each ½ inch wide strips. Two of those strips in half so you will have 4 smaller pieces.
-
Place the parchment paper on a large heavy cookie sheet. Brush all of the edges with some of the egg white. Lay two longer strips on the longer edges, then two shorter strips, overlapping the corners of the strips. Repeat with more egg white on top of the strips, they lay two long and two short strips on top of the others. Repeat with the other puff pastry sheet.
-
Place the baking sheet with the pastry still on the parchment paper in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the pastry for 20 minutes. After 10 minutes of baking, prick the bottom of the tarts with a fork very gently to avoid piercing them all the way through. The tart shells should be a very light golden brown.
-
Remove the pan from the oven and with a cotton towel, very gently press the center of each tart to flatten it. Remove the towel and cool the crust on the parchment paper on a baking rack for at least 15 minutes. You can prepare the tart 3-4 hours ahead to this point and fill it when you are ready to serve it.
-
In a medium bowl, combine mozzarella and sharp cheddar and sprinkle 1/2 cup of the mixed cheeses in each tart. Evenly divide the thyme and sprinkle half of it into the tarts (you will use the other half of the leaves in another layer) along with of all the green onions evenly divided for each tart.
-
Cover the tarts with the parmesan and feta and sprinkle with the remaining thyme and olive oil.
-
Bake the tarts for 20-25 minutes until they are just golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before cutting each tart lengthwise down the center and then into 8 crosswise strips.
-
Each tart will make 16 bite size servings.
