Goat Cheese Tart

Puffy, golden goodness. Mmmm.

Inspired, yet again, by Ina Garten, I decided to try her goat cheese tart. Now, you may wonder at my use of a commercial crust. I make no apologies - they are my yearly Thanksgiving backup, ever since the Jehovah's Witness Incident of 2004.

What, you ask, was that? Ah, yes. I remember it well. I was furiously baking pies on Thanksgiving day. And it was one of those times when nothing was working quite like I had planned. I had just rolled some pastry into one of the pie pans, when a group of very nice Jehovah's Witnesses rang my doorbell. I was covered in flour, and my hands were filthy. I set the rolling pin on top of the Pyrex pie plate so that I could wash my hands, and the entire pie plate shattered. Glass everywhere. Pastry ruined.

Well, ever since then, I make sure to buy a couple commercial pie crusts, just in case. Of course, that means if things go well, I have to use up those crusts, which I did here. Quite tasty, I must say.

Even though I prepared the shallots, I forgot to add them to the tart. So I had them on the side. I think the shallots are important, so I would suggest not leaving them out. I also took the liberty of adding some thyme.

Goat Cheese Tart

Adapted from Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Make at Home

1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter

3/4 cup chopped shallots (3 to 4 shallots)

10 1/2 ounces garlic-and-herb soft goat cheese (recommended: Montrachet)

1 cup heavy cream (preferably NOT ultra-pasteurized)

3 extra-large eggs

1/4 chopped fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the tablespoon of butter in a small pan and saute the shallots over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tender. Place the goat cheese in the bowl of the food processor and process until crumbly. Add the cream, eggs, basil, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper and process until blended.

Scatter the cooked shallots over the bottom of the tart shell. Pour the goat cheese mixture over the shallots to fill the shell (if the shell has shrunk, there may be leftover filling). Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tart is firm when shaken and the top is lightly browned. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and serve hot or at room temperature.

The tart puffs up beautifully, and yields six generous slices. The perfect accompaniment is a green salad with a light vinaigrette.