Tomato Tarts

I wish I had the patience to make puff pastry. No I take that back, I wish I was the type of person that wished they had the patience to make puff pastry. As it is I am quite happy to buy it from the store without a second thought.

It is just so darned convenient, like boxed Mac n’ Cheese, instant mashed potatoes and Saddam Hussein as a scapegoat.

Besides, have you ever made puff pastry? Roll it flat, smear it with butter, fold over, roll it flat, smear it with butter, fold over, roll flat smear with butter, butter, roll, smear, fold, roll, smear…sounds like a Charmin advert. Far too much smearing and rolling, and for some reason my puff pastry never seems to rise right. Though I figured that one out, the pastry must be very cold before baking, then the butter will spread and the leaves of dough will separate. Thank you to the guy over at Grand Central Bakery for the tip. Dude this is your shout out! You Rock!

Puff pastry is so versatile and has so many uses: Strudels both savory and sweet, beef wellington, a top for pot pies, a unusual bent as an interesting salad trencher, pastry cases for appetizers, creamed vegetables, poultry or seafood, made into puffy bread sticks or glazed and filled with jam for Austrian pastries, or turnovers, and lots more that escape me right now.

Well here is a scrumptious little savory pastry that is easier than sin, (as some sin can be very hard work and requires special equipment),

Ingredients:

2 Sheets Puff Pastry thawed in the fridge

Cherry Tomatoes

8 Oz of Herbed Cream Cheese

Method:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Cut out 4-6 inch rounds from puff pastry, using a round cookie cutter or template about ½ inch from the circumference cut a circle not quite all the way through the pastry.

Spread the center of each pastry round with the most of the cream cheese, and then arrange whole cherry tomatoes in a pleasing concentric pattern on top, then dump a dollop of cream cheese on top in the center. Bake for 15-25 minutes (It really depends on your oven) until puffed up and golden. If desired garnish with fresh basil sprigs and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.