~ "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; Through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." ~ "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" ~ "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." ~ "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."~

Friday, July 31, 2009

Tomato Puff Pastry Bites

With a fine dusting of feta cheese...
Without the feta cheese...

Tomato Puff Pastry Bites.... If you like tomatoes, you will love this little appetizer. I came across this recipe while leafing through a Taste Of Home magazine. It was quite recent, actually... I needed to take an older lady for a dental check-up. So while I was sitting there in the waiting room, I spotted a cooking magazine of all things:)! I couldn't resist... I noticed that it was the same issue that I had received a few days ago. Oh well, I guess I could look through it again. It is funny how you miss so many things the first time around! This little appetizer had won third place in their tomato contest. This time though, I noticed the recipe :)... I knew instantly that I would try it. I always have some homemade puff pastry in the freezer....and tomatoes?...why I had those too! So, I made them them and absolutely love them! If you are looking for an appetizer that is a bit different, you will like these. They remind me of a tomato tart, which I 've been meaning to make...maybe one of these days. These small bites are much quicker. Of course, you can use store bought puff pastry, but I like making my own. Nothing beats the flavor of homemade pastry.
I didn't change the recipe too much, I just used some ingredients that I had on hand. The original recipe used smoked gouda cheese...I used some spicy pepper jack. Feel free to use your favorite cheese. I also added a pinch of Italian seasoning along with some fresh basil...and I had to add some onion! These are perfect to make in the summer, when the tomatoes are at its best. You can make a couple or you can make enough for a crowd. They are best eaten warm(that's because I like the puff pastry to be crispy and the cheese melted)...but, even room temp will do:)! I hope you will give these a try...
Tip: You can , I think, also use sliced zucchini...I mean, why not. Maybe, a combination of the two...it would give a wonderful color contrast. Let me know if you try it with zucchini/squash.
You will need: make as many as you like...recipe is for one.
1 puff pastry square,( roughly the same size as your tomato slice 2x2 or 3x3 inches)
1 tomato slice
1 TBS grated pepper jack cheese ( you can also use Mozzarella, Gouda, Havarti, Provolone etc.)
1 tsp green onion, sliced, chopped( you can use regular red/white onion)
Italian seasoning, a small pinch
chopped basil, fresh,a small pinch
feta cheese, optional
salt and pepper, a pinch
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 deg.
Cut tomato slices, pretty thin. You don't want them to be too thin and yet you don't want them to be too thick either. Set aside.
Cut puff pastry into small squares that are roughly about the same size as your tomato slices.
Place some parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Lay the puff pastry square on the parchment paper. Add about 1 TBS of cheese(maybe a little less, depending on how big your square is). Add some sliced/chopped onion. I had some green onion from the garden and use the white tip only. But, you can easily add regular onion.
Place a tomato slice on top.
Add a pinch of Italian seasoning . Season with salt and pepper, if you like. If you are going to add feta cheese later, you might not need to add any salt. Bake in a preheated 425 oven for about 10-12 minutes. Please check them ...you want them golden brown and nicely puffed. Depending on the puff pastry size, the cooking time will vary. Mine took 12 minutes.
You can add some fresh basil and a fine dusting of feta cheese(I used my microplane). You can also omit the feta cheese.

12 comments:

Sailaja Damodaran said...

looks easy ...must be tasty too.....i tried ur bread cones it was a great hit.check my site for feed back.www.sailajakitchen.com

Ellie said...

Sailaja,
Oh, I am so glad they worked out for you! Thanks for leaving a comment...I am off to check your site:)!

Linda said...

You're singing my song, here! Love ALL the ingredients - I'm sure the whole is fabulous!
I grew up in Montana - Fairfield, went to boarding school in Bozeman - lots of great memories from out on the prairie.

Ellie said...

Hi Linda!
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you can try these...we really enjoyed them in our house. Ah, you too have experienced beautiful Montana...love the outdoors!

kiss my spatula said...

wow - your tomato puff pastries look perfect! can't wait to try this out!

Ellie said...

Aww, thanks for your nice comment. I hope you like it.

Daniela said...

Ellie,
What a wonderful surprise to find your blog while searching for some recipes on Google. I am going to try the pastry tonight with our first batch of fresh tomatoes from our garden. Thank you for sharing the wonderful recipes…with the clear instructions and mouthwatering pictures they really inspire me to try my hands in the kitchen.
Have a great day,
Daniela

Ellie said...

Daniela,
Thanks so much for your comment and nice compliment. I really appreciate it! I hope you like a recipe or two...Thanks for stopping by.

Jenny said...

Ellie,
looks so yummy!!!
Question...i would like to make this for a get together...how are they cold (room temp.)??

Ellie said...

Magdalene,
Sorry, I am answering so late...I was out of town.
Room temp will be just as good. I don't like to have them cold ...just my preference.
Hope that helps.Ellie

foodiechickie said...

OMG I love love this stuff. My mom makes it for most gatherings. I always thought it was Russian. Should have known it was Romanian.

Ellie said...

FoodieChickie, Thanks for stopping by...I am glad you are enjoying the blog. Nice, that you too have been introduced to the Romanian cuisine:)~Ellie