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Savoury Cheese Tartlets with Roasted Grapes

Iron Chef Shellie
Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

Parmesan Cheese Pastry

  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese shredded
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 1/2 clove garlic
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
  • 250 g cream cheese / goats cheese
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • A few tbsp of water
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Roasted Grapes

  • 500 g seedless red grapes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions
 

Parmesan Cheese Pastry

  • Preheat the oven to 210ºC (190ºC fan-forced).
  • In a medium size oven-proof bowl or dish, add the butter, oil, water, and salt; place in the oven for 15 minutes.
  • Carefully remove the bowl from the oven with oven mitts. It will be sizzling and splattering, so be very careful! Place the bowl onto the kitchen bench with a tea towel or pot holder underneath.
  • In a separate bowl, mix the flour, parmesan cheese, and black pepper.
  • Slowly stir the flour mixture into the hot butter. It is important to still be cautious of the hot butter, it may still pop when you add the first bit of flour. Also, remember that the bowl is very hot, so wearing oven mitts while stirring is ideal. Stir the mixture until combined. Let it sit and cool for 5 minutes.
  • Once the dough is cool enough to handle, divide it evenly into mini tart moulds. With your fingers, press the dough flat and up the sides of the moulds. Prick the shell with a fork.
  • Place tart shells it into the freezer while you are making the next one, and then repeat. Place the last tart shell into the freezer and let cool for 5 minutes.
  • Place the tart shells onto a baking sheet and place in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool before filling.

Cream Cheese Filling

  • While the tart shells are cooling make the filling. In a high speed blender or in your food processor, add the garlic and the rosemary. Pulse several times to chop/mince.
  • Add the cream cheese / goats cheese, olive oil and lemon juice. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding as much water as necessary to keep it moving and to make it creamy, but make sure not to add more than 1/4 cup.
  • Remove the tart shells from their pans and place on a serving platter or baking sheet, pour the goat cheese filling equally amongst the completely cooled tart shells. Smooth the surface with a spatula, if necessary. Place the tart shells in the fridge to firm up while you roast the grapes.

Roasted Grapes

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C)
  • Arrange the bunches of grapes in a single layer on baking sheet. Toss with the olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
  • Roast for 15-20 minutes, until the grapes begin to burst and the juice around them starts to thicken.
  • Once the grapes have cooled, and the cream cheese / goat cheese filling is firm, place the grapes on top of the tarts (remove from the stems to make eating easier), garnish with fresh rosemary and serve or chill until you are ready to serve.