Feta Tapenade Tart
This recipe for Feta Tapenade Tarte Soleil piqued my interest when I first noticed it on Smitten Kitchen a couple of months back. The flavors sounded right but it was the presentation that caught my eye. I forwarded the link to my mother who proceeded to make it to bring along to the next five parties she attended (yes, my parents have a more active social life than me). It took me a bit longer to get around to it but when I was looking for something to bring to a friend’s wine tasting event (thank you Caudrons and Sojourn!) I realized that this could be the perfect contribution.
Despite the multiple components, this hors d’oeuvre is remarkably easy to whip together. The recipe gives instructions for a simple sun-dried tomato tapenade that you make in your food processor. As an alternative, you can most definitely substitute a store-bought tapenade or basil pesto. You just want something that is thick and spreadable as opposed to loose and watery. The pastry is store bought and defrosted overnight. And the whipped feta dip, which I will be making on repeat to serve with pita chips throughout the summer, comes together in minutes.
Bottom line, this Feta Tapenade Tart is a crowd pleaser and if you keep the ingredients on hand, I can see it being a last minute treat that will wow your guests.
NOTE: I should have cut each “ray” in half one more time to double the total number of rays from 16 to 32. Next time!
Feta Tapenade Tart
- Filling
- 1/2 c sundried tomatoes in oil, drained
- 1/3 c pitted kalamata olives
- 1 tsp dried oregano or 2 tsp chopped fresh oregano leaves; thyme and rosemary would work too
- 1 large garlic clove, peeled
- 1 Tbls olive oil or reserved oil from tomatoes, plus more to loosen if needed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes to taste
- Assembly
- 2 sheets of frozen puffed pastry, one package or two, depending on brand (leave in fridge overnight to thaw)
- 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water (for egg wash)
- 1 Tbls sesame or poppy seeds to sprinkle (optional)
- Dip
- 6 oz feta, crumbled
- 2 oz cream cheese, cold is fine
- 1/3 c olive oil
- 2 Tbls lemon juice
- Kosher salt, to taste (changed from 1/2 teaspoon, which could be overkill if your feta is very salty)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Blend ingredients in a food processor until finely chopped and spreadable. Mixture will be thick. You can thin it with more olive oil if needed, but no need to make this thin like a sauce.
- Adjust seasonings to taste. Set aside.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Roll first sheet puffed pastry flat on a large piece of parchment paper or reusable baking mat into a 12-inch circle; use a 12-inch round plate or bowl to mark the size for a clean cut.
- Repeat with second dough, setting one aside in the fridge until needed.
- Place first round on a parchment- or nonstick mat-lined baking sheet.
- Spread with filling to all but 1-inch from edge.
- Dab edges with water and place second round on top.
- Set a small glass upside down in the middle.
- Being careful not to cut through parchment paper or baking mat, cut away from glass (i.e. not through center) in quarters, or at the 3-, 6-, 9- and 12 o’clock marks.
- Cut through each quarter again, making 8 strips, and again, making 16 strips, and one last time so that you have 32 “rays” of pastry emanating from the center.
- If at any point in the cutting the pastry feels annoyingly soft and hard to cut, just pop the tray in the freezer for a few minutes to firm it back up.
- Remove glass. Place finger near center of each ray (where it is most likely to break off prematurely) and gently twist each strand a few times.
- Beat egg yolk with 1 tsp water; brush it over pastry and sprinkle with seeds, if desired.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown all over.
- Blend all filling ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- Adjust seasonings to taste. Place in bowl for dipping.
- Remove tart from oven, let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to a serving platter.
- Tear off rays of sun, dip in whipped feta; repeat and enjoy!
- This tart could be made sweet rather than savory. Try spreading nutella or jam in between the layers of pastry and serving with melted chocolate ganache.