5 tb Unsalted butter
7 lg Shallots; sliced lengthwise
2 1/2 tb Sugar
Salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
22 oz Creamy goat cheese
1 1/3 c Heavy cream
1/2 c Sour cream
1 ts Minced thyme leaves
3 tb Minced flat-leaf parsley
Flat-leaf parsley; for
-garnish
8 oz Frisee; for garnish
=== PATE BRISEE ===
3 3/4 c All-purpose flour
1 1/2 ts Salt
1 1/2 c Chilled unsalted butter; cut
-up
Make the Pate Brisee: Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a food
processor; pulse for 5 seconds. Add the butter pieces, and process until
the mixture resembles coarse meal. In a slow, steady stream, add 6
tablespoons of ice water through the feed tube. Pulse until the mixture
holds together when squeezed. Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten
each ball into a disk, and cover with plastic wrap. Chill at least 1 hour.
Set twelve 4-inch bottomless tartlet (flan) rings or twelve 4-inch tartlet
pans with removable bottoms on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Lightly
flour a clean working surface. Roll Pate Brisee to a 1/8-inch thickness.
Cut out twelve 5-inch diameter circles, and fit into tartlet rings. Using a
fork, prick pastry all over; chill until firm, at least 15 minutes.
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Line shells with aluminum foil; fill with dry beans or pie weights.
Transfer baking sheets to oven; bake shells 12 minutes, rotating once
during baking. Remove beans and foil. Continue baking until slightly
golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove baking sheets from oven; transfer to a wire
rack.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Melt butter in a medium skillet
over medium-low heat. Add shallots and sugar; season with salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are very tender and have deeply
caramelized, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.
Place goat cheese in bowl of a food processor; puree until very smooth. Add
heavy and sour creams; process until well combined. Transfer to a medium
bowl. Stir in thyme and parsley; season with pepper. Spoon 2 to 3
tablespoons filling into each shell, filling to within 1/8-inch from top.
Arrange 1 heaping teaspoon reserved shallots on top of each tartlet.
Transfer baking sheets to oven; bake tartlets until filling has set, 13 to
15 minutes, rotating once. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool slightly,
about 10 minutes. Remove rings. Sprinkle remaining parsley over tartlets.
To serve, place tartlets on plates. Garnish each plate with frisee.
Makes 12.
Yields
12 servings