Goat Cheese, Sun Dried Tomato & Olive Tarts

Okay, you’re right I make a lot of phyllo cup tarts, but you know what…they are a great bite sized appetizer and the phyllo cups can be purchased at almost any grocery store.  It’s also a time savor in a big way, making your own tart shells would not makes sense for what I do.  I love the combination of the creamy tart goat cheese with the saltiness of the olives and the sweetness of the sun dried tomatoes; this Mediterranean inspired tart is delicious and is a perfect cocktail party bite.

 

Now that I blog a lot of what I make for events, sometimes I lay awake at night wondering what to blog and how to stage the photo…the other day I went to the store to buy black plates to stage a pasta recipe.  I have countless plates, bowl, cups and whatnot; I need another plate like another hole in my head, but sometimes something isn’t right unless you have the right color or texture. I’m learning all the time, sometimes you just need the texture and items that are in the recipe for a great photo, not just the plates, trays and other things…I’m realizing all of that sometimes just gets in the way of what really matters.  What matters is the good food; recipes that you will want to make and recipes that I know stand out from others and might be in my cookbook one day.

 

Goat Cheese, Sun Dried Tomato & Olive Phyllo Tarts

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 large shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 teaspoons minced oregano

5 oz. softened goat cheese

1 egg

½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ cup Sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped

¼ cup Chopped Kalamata olives, chopped

¼ cup Chopped pimento stuffed green olives, chopped

2 packages of phyllo tart shells (15 in each package)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
• Heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat and add the shallot, garlic and oregano and sauté for 5 minutes, occasionally stirring, set aside and let cool.
• In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the goat cheese, egg, pepper, salt and paprika
• Add and mix in the sun dried tomatoes, and olives
• Scoop by teaspoon into each phyllo cup and place on a parchment lined sheet pan
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffy and golden
• Makes 30 small tartlets, enough for 8 to 10 as an appetizer