From the Kitchen

Leek and Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Tart

I am feeling rather lazy in the kitchen these days, so this puff pastry tart is the perfect recipe to make for dinner. The thought of a gourmet meal each night does sound dreamy…when someone else washes the dishes or does the actual cooking. A lot of planning and thought goes into fancy meals. Lately I’m just not up for it.  Spring is around the corner, and who wants to spend the afternoon in the kitchen?

Enter our friends: frozen puff pastry, cream cheese, goat cheese, and leeks.

Puff Pastry Tart

Puff pastry is that versatile, luscious, pastry dough that puffs up (hence the name) to epic heights in a hot oven and results in the flakiest crust you can imagine. I never make my own.  It’s so easy to buy it and keep it on hand in your freezer. All it needs is a little time to thaw before you use it. Stick it in the fridge overnight or in the morning so it’s ready for use the next evening.

When making flatbread/pizzas/tarts with puff pastry, it’s a good idea to roll it out on parchment paper–not to be confused with waxed paper–and place it on a baking sheet.  Lining the baking sheet will  help the crust brown evenly and it won’t stick.  Pre-baking is necessary when you are using puff pastry in this way so the pastry has a chance to sufficiently brown and crisp up.

I’ve used leeks and goat cheese here–a classic pairing and very appropriate for Spring.  Mix it up and try different cheeses and veggies. Any cheese with good melting properties would be fabulous. You can leave out the cream cheese entirely. Add roasted root veggies or tomatoes. Throw some arugula or baby greens on top of the baked tart. Sprinkle with a little bacon or other cured meats. (A little preparation and planning might be needed if you don’t normally keep these ingredients on hand.)

It’s hard to go wrong when puff pasty is so right.

Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Tart

Leek and Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Tart

Ingredients:

1 sheet puff pastry (I like Pepperidge Farms)
3 leeks, sliced–white and light green parts only
2 Tbsp. butter, canola, or olive oil (your choice)
1/4 tsp. sea salt
4 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. goat cheese
1/4 tsp each: dried thyme, rosemary, savory
freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Roll out puff pastry and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake pastry for 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Remove from oven and press down lightly on the top of the pasty with a spatula to release the air.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter or oil to the pan. Add the leeks and sprinkle with sea salt; saute until they soften and start to take on a bit of golden color. Set aside until ready to use.

In a medium bowl, beat the cream and goat cheese, herbs and black pepper on low until well mixed. (It will be a little “crumbly” in texture, not smooth and creamy. If you’d prefer smooth and creamy, add a bit of cream or milk and beat until smooth.)

Spread, or sprinkle, the cheese mixture evenly over the baked puff pasty. Top with the sauteed leeks. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake the tart for an additional 20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted sufficiently.

Cut into squares and serve. Serves 4-6 as a side dish.

Add a simple salad and a fruity dessert to this indulgent (read: rich) tart and you’ve got a great meal to wow your friends and family and fool them into thinking you spent hours in the kitchen.

Leek and Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Tart
Ingredients
  • 1 sheet puff pastry I like Pepperidge Farms
  • 3 leeks sliced--white and light green parts only
  • 2 Tbsp. butter canola, or olive oil (your choice)
  • 1/4 tsp. sea salt
  • 4 oz. cream cheese
  • 4 oz. goat cheese
  • 1/4 tsp each: dried thyme rosemary, savory
  • freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Roll out puff pastry and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake pastry for 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
  3. Remove from oven and press down lightly on the top of the pasty with a spatula to release the air.
  4. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter or oil to the pan. Add the leeks and sprinkle with sea salt; saute until they soften and start to take on a bit of golden color. Set aside until ready to use.
  5. In a medium bowl, beat the cream and goat cheese, herbs and black pepper on low until well mixed. (It will be a little "crumbly" in texture, not smooth and creamy. If you'd prefer smooth and creamy, add a bit of cream or milk and beat until smooth.)
  6. Spread, or sprinkle, the cheese mixture evenly over the baked puff pasty. Top with the sauteed leeks. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake the tart for an additional 20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted sufficiently.
  7. Cut into squares and serve. Serves 4-6 as a side dish.

24 comments

  1. ok so i am doing a bridal shower and it is going to be a tea party, so there are those little puff pastry bite size shells….how perfect will this be in them…..yummmmm cant wait to try it…

  2. This looks like a great combination, I love soft cheese but cant it at the moment unless its cooked because I’m pregnant so I always love ideas of how to still sneak some in without missing out altogether!! Thanks for sharing!

  3. I love that I’m seeing a lot of goat cheese recipes lately. If you’re lactose intolerant (like me) its a great alternative.

  4. Okay. You seem to cook/bake with leeks a lot. I think I’ve got to try them. And I will. This recipe looks amazing! I’m going to make this and come back and report!!

    1. That sounds wonderful! I really love leeks and green peppers together. We make a clam chowder that is a copycat of a recipe from our favorite seafood restaurant. It uses a ton of green peppers, leeks and onions. Mmm…

      Thanks for the comment!

  5. Honestly it took me quite some time to discover leeks and once I did there was no turning back. These puff pastries look awesome!

  6. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. I was in a class that did a compare between a home made pate a choux vs. the pepperidge pastry sheet, and I will say that you can taste the difference. The pastry sheet was less flavorful but more compact when you bake it.

    1. Thanks for the comment, Patty. How fun to take a class like that.

      It’s true that the Pepperidge Farms doesn’t have the very best flavor. It is not made with butter. You can find more a more expensive brand in high end stores. But it is hard to find. I don’t mind using the PF in a pinch.

      Pate choux dough is actually not the same as puff pastry. It has eggs in it and is more of a batter that is spooned and piped. Pate choux is the pastry that is filled with custard to create eclairs and cream puffs.

      In French, puff pastry is called Pate Feuilletee. It is a laminated dough that involves a simple dough (a lot like bread dough) that is rolled and folded numerous with a large amount of fat/butter. The numerous layers of fat between the dough is what provides the lift once it is baked.

      This is the all-butter puff pastry available at places like Whole Foods–http://www.dufourpastrykitchens.com/products-puff.php

      Here’s a great how-to from the Barefoot Kitchen Witch if you want to make your own instead–
      http://www.barefootkitchenwitch.com/the_barefoot_kitchen_witc/2009/06/homemade-puff-pastry-dough.html

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