These are so popular and the beauty of the tarts is that they can be prepared in advance & baked when required.
Serves 8
Ingredients
- 450g/1lb ready made puff pastry
- olive oil for brushing
- 8 tbsp caramelised onion (home made or from a jar)
- 1 tbsp thyme leaves
- 350g/12oz blue cheese, broken into small pieces or you can use any soft cheese
For the Salad
- 3 small ripe pears, skin left on and chopped into pieces
- 150g/5oz rocket or baby salad leaves
- 3 sticks celery, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp walnut oil/rape seed oil
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
- sea salt and black pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 220C/200C fan-oven/Gas mark 7
Cut the pastry into either 10cm rounds or squares using a large pastry cutter or cutting around a small bowl or plate if using a circle.
Place on a greased baking tray and score a small border of 1cm around the inside edge of each one.
Brush the border with olive oil. Now spread the caramelised onion on each piece of puff pastry, within the border. Scatter over the thyme leaves and half the cheese. Place in the oven for 15 mins until the pastry is risen and golden.
While the pastry is cooking toss the ingredients for the salad and season with salt and pepper. Arrange 8 plates.
Remove the tarts form the oven and top with remaining cheese.
Return to the oven for a few mins until the cheese starts to melt.
Place the tarts on the plates with the salad and serve with chilli jam.
