The Lovely Drawer | Brie & Walnut Tart
It is of my unrequested opinion
that brunch is the most photogenic meal of the day.
The combination of fresh fruit, pastry, juices and coffee
scattered around the table
glowing in the morning light
is nothing short than a visual feast.
If you've seen my instagram,
you'll know that my habit of capturing
such plates & tablescapes lands me somewhere
somewhere an aspirational food stylist and a donut addict.
But...
I sometimes get a little tired
of the same french toast, pancakes, eggs benedict lineup.
Don't get me wrong,
I still eat them with passionate love...
but I'm always eager to see a surprise
awaiting me on a menu.
Like these fresh tartlets my sweet friend, Teri, whipped up
with her latest recipe from The Lovely Drawer.
Mmm... not only do these look gorgeous,
but they seem utterly delicious, too.
Enjoy!
Brie and Walnut Tartlets
Everyone needs a stand by dish thats speedy and yet still full of flavour. This recipe is so simple that it’s almost silly to call it cooking. More like assembling! It’s has a nice balance of sweet and salty flavours mmmm and and can actually be adapted as to what you have in your fridge.
I’ll hold my hands up and say I only ever use bought puff pastry. Shortcrust I make from time to time but puff pastry always seems like a faff when I it’s cheap as chips pre-made and pre-rolled!
This recipe makes two tartlets but you can easily make more with the left over pastry if you add some more of the other ingredients.
You will also need a beaten egg or some olive oil to brush the pastry!
Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 220 Lay out your pastry. If it needs rolling then roll out to about half a cm thick. Then score around something circular to make your tartlet shapes. You can decide how big you want them but I used a soup bowl and had enough pastry left after cutting two to potentially have made two more if I’d rerolled.
2) Line a tray and lay you’re circles on top. Then use a pastry brush to lightly coat the outer edge of the pastry with oil or beaten egg. Fold over the edge all the way round and pinch together. The egg/oil should help it to stay in place. Then lightly glaze the whole of the pastry disc.
3) Heat a dry pan and toast your walnuts briefly. Set aside.
4) Chop and fry your red onion with a drop of olive oil, the soft brown sugar and balsamic vinegar.
5) Spread the onions over the pastry, leaving the folded edge exposed.
6) Then tear pieces of the brie and scatter over the onions. Sprinkle over some of your walnuts and at this stage I usually like to add some chopped fresh or dry rosemary too.
7) Cut your apple into very fine slices and lay in a circle over the brie. Twist pieces of the parma ham and lay in between the apple. If you’d prefer you ham soft rather than crispy you can add it in half way through cooking.
8) Drizzle each tartlet with olive oil making sure the edges of the apple have been oiled and place on the middle shelf in the oven to cook for 20 mins or until the pastry has puffed up around the edge and turned golden.
9) Serve with some rocket and a drizzle of balsamic.
