French Bistro Tart
An appetizer pizza by any other name is a French bistro tart. These savory little pizzas, topped with tomatoes, herbs, and cheese, are sure winners.
Ingredients
- Pate Brisee
- All-Purpose Flour - 3 cups
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of sugar
- Unsalted Butter - 1 cup (2 sticks) + 2 tablespoons
- Vegetable shortening - 1/2 cup
- Cold Water - 5 tablespoons
- Plum Tomatoes - 1 cup, chopped
- Fresh Basil - 1/2 cup, minced
- Fresh Thyme - 1/4 cup, minced
- Crumbled Goat, Feta, or shredded Mozzarella Cheese - 1 cup
- Plum Tomatoes and Black Olives - sliced, for garnish
- Salad
- Olive Oil - 1 cup
- Balsamic Vinegar - 1/2 cup
- Garlic - 1/2 teaspoon, crushed
- Soy Sauce - 1 tablespoon
- Pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
- Mixed Salad Greens - 4 cups
Instructions
To make the pate brisee: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. With a pastry cutter or your fingers, work the butter and shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles oatmeal. Add cold water and mix until all the ingredients are moistened. Form into a ball. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 3-inch rounds. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake just until the dough is tan.
Top the dough with the chopped tomatoes, basil, thyme, and cheese. Garnish with sliced tomatoes and black olives. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
To serve: Whisk the oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, salt, and pepper together until emulsified. Toss the salad greens in vinaigrette to coat, about 1/2 cup (the remaining vinaigrette may be stored in a tightly-sealed container in the refrigerator). Arrange greens on the upper part of each serving plate. Place a bistro tart below each salad.
