Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Cherry Tomato Mini Tarts


Oh my gosh, how did it get to be the second week of September already?  The last time I posted was July 20!  In the past few weeks my husband and I have tried to fit in as many summer activities as we could with family and friends.

August was a beautiful, fun, food-filled month and it flew by far too quickly. The weather here was finally gorgeous and we enjoyed many al fresco dinners on the patio. One of our daughters stayed overnight with with us twice and had dinner with us every single night for one of those weeks while her boyfriend and his father went on their annual fishing trip to Canada.  We made dinners together and had a great time hosting our other daughter and our grandsons.  We also scheduled other individual play dates with our grandsons, held our last Family Swim of the summer, and we played golf with some great friends with dinners here afterward. The weather on every date scheduled was perfection.  I was grateful to unplug and enjoy that beautiful month and have some great memories!


During that warm, sunny month of August, my tomatoes finally started ripening and it's been a bountiful harvest ever since!  One of my favorite new recipes I made with my cherry tomato harvest were these cherry tomato mini tarts.  They make a delicious appetizer and my husband and I have also eaten them for dinner.  Filled with tomatoes and lots of cheese, they are oh, so good and, who doesn't love puff pastry?!


They come together quickly and take less than 30 minutes to bake so you have have these ready in no time at all.  A little drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar and some chopped, fresh basil, are my favorite additions. I hope you try these before tomato season is over, they are delightful!


During August, my dahlias also started to bloom and, right now, they are the highlight of the garden and are providing me with some beautiful bouquets.


The begonias are so lush right now also that it's hard to believe fall is just two weeks away!  I'll enjoy the last hurrah in the garden and hope to harvest tomatoes as long as I possibly can :)  We actually have some summery weather in the forecast for the next few days.  Fingers crossed for a beautiful fall!  


Now, I'm glad to be back and sharing this tasty recipe with you and hope to get caught up with the rest of my blogging friends soon!

Cherry Tomato Mini Tarts


Makes 18 tarts but can easily be halved to make 9 using 1 sheet of puff pastry.

1 (17.3-oz.) pkg. frozen puff pastry sheets, partially thawed
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Small pinch of red pepper flakes
10 ounce sharp Cheddar cheese, finely shredded (2 1/2 cups)
4 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese
11 ounces multicolored cherry tomatoes (about 3 cups), halved and allowed to drain for 30 minutes on paper toweling

Garnish:

2 tablespoons torn fresh basil
Aged Balsamic

Preheat oven to 400°F. Gently unfold both pastry sheets and roll out to a 12 x 12 inch (approx) square. Spread 1/8 cup mayonnaise evenly on each pastry sheet; sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and small pinch of red pepper flakes.

Cut each pastry sheet into thirds both from the top and side making 9 (4 x 4 inch) squares. Gently press squares into 2 lightly greased muffin pans. Divide cheeses and tomatoes among tarts, alternating tomatoes/cheese/tomatoes/cheese.

Bake in preheated oven until pastry is golden brown, about 20-25 minutes until tops are browned and filling is bubbly. Let cool in pans on a wire rack 5 minutes.

Serve immediately topped with torn fresh basil and drizzle with aged balsamic.

Do ahead tips:  Prepare the muffin pans with the puff pastry ahead of time and keep covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator until ready to fill.  Measure and mix the cheeses and keep covered in the refrigerator.  An hour ahead, the cherry tomatoes can be cut and placed on a plate with paper toweling under and over them and covered with plastic wrap until ready to assemble.  

Adapted, with my changes, from Southern Living

30 comments:

  1. Dear yours Cherry tomato mini tarts are absolutely cute !!xo

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    1. Thank you, Gloria! 😍 I loved the cuteness too...and they are delicious 😋

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  2. o my my ... those heirloom tomatoes look really amazing. This is a great recipe to use some homegrown tomatoes, Susan. Gorgeous dahlias too!

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    1. The heirlooms are so sweet and delicious! I still have lots of green ones so fingers crossed we have a nice September ;) Thanks so much, Angie!

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  3. Susan, welcome back. You know I believe unplugging from time to time is a good thing. There's a time to blog and a time to enjoy a lovely time with family and friends.
    What yummy looking little savory tarts. They're like little Caprese muffins. I think I'll try these with mozzarella as well as your cheddar version next time we have the bunch over. Thanks for the make ahead tips.

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    1. Thank you, Ron! I totally agree and you were so lucky to have your kids and grandkids make the trip to Sweden. Mozzarella will taste great, I'm sure. Maybe I'll try that too ;) I still have a lot of cherry tomatoes to use.

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  4. Love these tarts, Susan! I am one very similar to this and know how delicious yours have to be. Sounds like you're having a great summer. I have never seen a summer go by as fast as this one has. Take care

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    1. Thank you, Pam! I has been a wonderful summer...especially August! And, I'm still picking tomatoes :)

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  5. Wow, look at your tomatoes...I am loving the little tarts...tomatoes and cheese is such a nice combination...together with the flaky puff pastry...love the textures.
    Thanks for sharing the flowers...so pretty...enjoy the rest of your week SUsan!

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    1. We loved them! Thanks so much, Juliana. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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  6. How on earth did this post slip by me..that is two lately..:(
    I recognize our tomato siblings:)
    I love gathering them every day..bountiful and beautiful.
    Today we had a dr appointment downtown MTL..and J made pizza dough..we used roasted toamtoes etc..SO good..like these tarts.
    You savor time in the kitchen..garden..and family.
    Smart Peaxx

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    1. Tomato Siblings :) I am still gathering every day also..had enough to make cherry tomato pasta sauce for dinner tonight. We are eating BLATs once or twice a week too - LOL. Still lots of big green ones to ripen...hopefully. I really want to learn to make pizza, I think the dough scares me the most. Thank you, My Dear!

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  7. Sounds like a wonderful summer, my friend! These tomato tarts are so irresistible with garden fresh tomatoes this time of year. And I love how easy they are!

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    1. Thanks so much, Kelly! It's been quite a tomatomania here this past month :)

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  8. It sounds like the end of Summer was a fun, and busy time, Susan! The tomato tarts look wonderful, and so simple. Thank you for the tips on making them ahead of time. I have a similar recipe, but it uses pie crust. I like just tomatoes and cheese as the main ingredients in tomato tarts. These little tarts would be perfect for my ladies' luncheon group. Enjoy the rest of September!

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    1. Thanks so much, Kitty! It was so busy but lots and lots of fun. These would be perfect for a luncheon!

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  9. Glad you enjoyed your summer. This is a great appetizer to use up cherry tomatoes. Thanks.

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    1. It seems it always goes so quickly! I can't believe it's fall this weekend already! Thank you, Judee!

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  10. They look absolutely amazing, I think I'm gonna make something similar for my son's birthday party☺

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    1. They can be adapted many ways with different cheese and herbs. Hope your son enjoys them and thanks for your kind comment!

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    2. I'm sure everyone will like them! Thank you for your kind comment on my yt video!Have a lovely weekend ☺

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  11. My gosh! What bounty! What gorgeous dahlias! And I love this recipe! Now if I could just get Manservant to eat a tomato that isn't in the form of salsa!

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    1. I was quite a bountiful tomato season! Although my tomato plants have all been pulled out I still have lots left to use :)

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  12. They look fantastic and such a neat savory treat

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    1. Thanks so much! I'm sad to see the tomato season end, but I can always find cherry tomatoes at the grocery store, thankfully :)

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  13. These look so good! I love your tomato basket photo, too!

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  14. These look wonderful and they must have been so delicious. Great photos too.

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