Bleu Cheese and Tomato Puff Pastry Tarts

I don’t love very many frozen items but when it comes to frozen puff pastry dough, I cannot get enough. I always keep a few sheets of this dough in my freezer just in case I need to throw together a quick appetizer or dessert. This dough is so versatile and can be used to create a wide variety of sweet and savory dishes that are guaranteed to please.

We haven’t had much time to go to the grocery store over the past couple of days so when it came to lunch today, I had to be a little creative. I took out my trusty puff pastry dough from the freezer, grabbed a few tomatoes and an onion that I had and then stood at my counter trying to think of what I could create. I figured I couldn’t go wrong with a tart so I headed to our spice cabinet to see what would complement the tomatoes and onion.

I ended up with beautiful Blue Cheese and Tomato Puff Pastry Tarts that made the house smell amazing. They looked great and I couldn’t wait to bite into them to help calm the hunger pains. I was onto my second tart when my husband walked in the door. He stood at the door and said, “Wow. What smells so good?” He walked over to the table, looked at my plate and said, “What are those? They look awesome.” He grabbed one off my plate…then another…and then other.

His actions said it all…these tarts are delicious and are perfect to enjoy as a light lunch or appetizer.

Bleu Cheese and Tomato Puff Pastry Tarts

Ingredients:

• 3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 medium white onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried Oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried Parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
• 1 tablespoon of butter, melted
• Bleu cheese dressing (1 teaspoon per puff pastry rectangle)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix together tomatoes, onion, olive oil, salt and pepper, Oregano, Parsley, Cayenne pepper, and garlic in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Roll out puff pastry dough onto lightly floured surface. Brush puff pastry dough with butter.
4. Cut dough into 3×2 inch rectangles and spread 1 teaspoon of bleu cheese dressing over each rectangle.
5. Sprinkle tomato mixture over each rectangle.
6. Place the rectangles onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until dough is lightly browned.
7. Remove from the oven and serve warm.