A quick stroll through my dessert and cookie sections pretty much confirms that I have an insatiable sweet tooth. Even so, when we go to our near-by patisserie, I choose a savory bite almost every time. And if they’ve made a savory tartlet, my decision is easy. Thankfully, I now have a recipe to make these little beauties at home– and this is one of the best tartlets I’ve ever had.
This wonderful, firm but flakey crust is made from olive oil rather than butter. It lends a light floral, almost earthy, quality to the dish. Even though it is not par-baked, the crust becomes perfectly crispy on the outside, yet is still substantial enough to hold up to the liquid center. Even after days in the refrigerator, the crust has an excellent texture. And you know what that means– this is a great dish to make ahead of time.
The savory filling contains ramps, gouda, and goat cheese. That’s right, it’s ramp season. Remember last year when I was so excited and made this ramp pesto? Well, I’m just as excited this year– and Radd is again making fun of the fact that I talk about ramps far too much. If you don’t recall, or are unfamiliar with them, ramps are basically a wild leek. They taste a bit like green onions combined with garlic. If you find them, buy and enjoy them right away. They’re not in season for long. If you can’t find ramps, substitute green onions or leeks with a couple cloves of garlic. It will still taste amazing. I love the combination of ramps and goat cheese, and in this dish it really shines. The goat cheese is soft and pillowy as you bite into the tartlet, while the gouda melts into the creamy center. Enjoy!
The Recipe: Ramp and Goat Cheese Tartlets
(Makes six 4-inch tarts or one 9 – 10-inch tart)
For the Savory Tart Dough:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup olive oil
For the Tart Filling:
about 1 1/4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
about 1 1/2 ounces gouda, grated
3 ramps, chopped (about 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
4 eggs
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
To make the Savory Tart Dough: Place both flours, salt, and sugar in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the eggs and olive oil and pulse about 10-15 times until the dough forms a ball. Remove dough and place on a lightly floured work surface. Knead 3-4 times, careful not to over work the dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or frozen. The dough will defrost quickly at room temperature when you are ready to use it.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Position rack in the center of the oven. If making tartlets, measure out the dough into 6 equal portions, about 1 7/8 ounces each. Roll the dough in a circle 1-inch larger than the tartlet pan or just press the dough evenly into the pans. Distribute the goat cheese, gouda, and ramps evenly between the 6 pans. In a small bowl, combine the eggs and cream and pour over each of the tarts, careful not to over fill them.
Place tartlets on a baking sheet and put into the oven. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown and the filling is puffed and becoming golden brown, as well. Serve the tartlets warm or at room temperature. They keep well for about 3 days in a covered container in the refrigerator and can be reheated in a 350°F oven. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche, if desired. Enjoy!
Source: Olive Oil Crust adapted from Nick Malgieri’s How to Bake
Thanks for stopping by!
Laurie
Laurie – These indeed look delicious!!! I hope to find ramps at my local Cub in Elk River, tho I am doubtful. Whatever, I will improvise per your suggestion(s). I just have to say that your descriptions are getting better all the time. You make even the recipes which include parsnips sound so delicious! Keep up the great posts, please, as I look so forward to them!
Thanks so much for the sweet words, Kris! Hope you found some ramps. 🙂
These look fantastic, perfect little beauties of goodness. I will have to replace the ramps with leeks or scallions as I have never seen them here in Florida. wonderful post.
Thank you — and I think you’ll enjoy the substitutions, just as well! Hope you enjoy. 🙂
This looks lovely–I see you’ve adapted from Nick Malgieri, he’s a great resource! I’ve only found ramps once–they were delicious, but even the trimmings smelled up the trash almost instantaneously!
Ha– they do have a strong order (which I can’t get enough of)! Yes, I adapted the crust from Nick’s book,” How to Bake”. I added some whole grains, which I often like to do. It worked perfectly. It’s one of my very favorite baking cookbooks — everything I’ve ever tried turns out beautifully! I love hearing that you enjoy it, too. 🙂
Ooh, these look beautiful! There aren’t any ramps in California–I know, heresy, right?–so I’ll probably have to substitute some green onion or maybe a mix of different veg. Sounds delicious nonetheless!
Thank you, Eileen! Sorry to hear that you don’t have ramps in CA. You do have every other gorgeous type of produce, so I’m sure you’ll survive without them! 😉 The tart works well with any number of variations — you’ll find something you love! Enjoy.
I’m off to Whole Foods to look for ramps!
Love it! Give me a call, if you have any questions! 🙂
I love the idea of the olive oil crust. I’ve been using it a bit in baking recently and it adds a really great flavour.
Kathryn — the crust is one of the best I’ve had! I’m enjoying incorporating more olive oil into my baking, as well. Why not, right? It’s better for you. 🙂
Love this tarts! And they are so cute in this mini version!
Thank you! I like them in the small version because they suddenly become finger food. 🙂
Wondering if any of the respondents have actually tried this recipe? The crust was so hard we needed knives to eat it and the filling was very eggy. I will make this again, but use less egg and more oil in the pastry and less egg and more cream in the filling. the flavour of the ramps and goat cheese was nice.
Hi Kelly, thanks for taking time to comment. Sorry you didn’t love the crust. One of my favorite things about the crust is that it is firm– I like the fact that it doesn’t get soggy like some tart crusts tend to do. And yes, the filling is definitely aimed at being eggy- the ratio of eggs to cream will tell you that. It keeps the dish a bit healthier that way. Hope you enjoy them more with your alterations! Cheers.