Simple, Adaptable Cheese Tart
About fifteen years ago, when I had the good fortune of being in Paris for a few weeks, I took a cooking class with renowned teacher Paulle Caillat. Her brown-butter, press-in tart crust is rightfully legendary—it’s a buttery, delicately tender shell that comes together in twenty, mostly-passive minutes. I’ve made it countless times, and in trying out lots of other no-roll, press-in crusts, I still return to her method because you get a tender, buttery crust, rather than a stiff, dry cracker! I’ve tinkered with it over time and adapted it by transferring the cooking to the stovetop, and also giving it some heft and nuttiness with whole-wheat flour, which complements savory fillings so nicely. Here, it’s extra important to spoon then level the flour when you measure it—too much flour in this tart will yield a crust that cracks.
And the simple filling yields a just-set, custardy-but-slicable cheese tart that’s amenable to lots of different additions. It requires a soft, fresh cheese, one you can whip it to a paste in the food processor. Embracing the fact that toppings will sink into the fillings as it bakes, I instead use a light hand, swirling a flavorful accent like pesto or olive paste into the pre-baked filling. If you wish a more elaborate tart, toppings-wise, you can arrange blanched spring vegetables, lightly dressed tender greens, caramelized winter squash, or juicy corn kernels and cherry tomatoes over the tart once it’s cooled out of the oven.
Makes one 9- or 9½-inch tart, enough to feed 6 to 8 as part of a snacking dinner
Crust
1 stick (4 ounces) butter
1 tablespoon neutral tasting oil (vegetable, grapeseed, canola)
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole-wheat flour
Filling
8 ounces goat, feta, or ricotta cheese
1 egg
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Addition of choice: 1 heaping tablespoon pesto, or 1 heaping tablespoon olive tapenade, or ¼ cup caramelized onions, 2 tablespoons slow-roasted tomatoes
Steps
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, oil, water, sugar, and salt for the crust and set over medium heat. As the butter melts, it’ll bubble and foam—be careful of splatters. Allow it to bubble away, whisking occasionally. While it’s simmering, stir together the flours in a bowl. After 8 to 10 minutes, the butter mixture will thicken slightly and turn a deeper shade of golden, and the bubbles appear more clear and less foamy—remove it from the heat. Immediately add the flours and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until a pasty dough forms. Transfer the mixture to a 9- or 9½-inch tart shell or springform pan, and let it cool for a few minutes until safe to touch. Use your fingers to press it evenly into the bottom and sides of the pan (if using a springform pan, press it about ¾-inch up the sides, making the rim as even as possible). Prick it all over the bottom with the tines of a fork, and press the fork into the sides to create a ruffled edge. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden. Cool for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a food processor, process the cheese until smooth, then add the egg, salt, and pepper, and process again. Scrape this mixture into the pre-baked crust, smoothing it over with a spoon or offset spatula. Dollop your addition of choice over the surface, then use a small knife to decoratively swirl it into the cheese filling.
Reduce the oven temperature to 300 F, then bake the tart for 20 to 25, until just set in the center. Cool for at least 15 minutes before unmolding and slicing. You can serve the tart warm or at room temperature. Covered with a piece of plastic wrap and stored in the fridge, it’ll keep for a few days.
Salt & Pepper Wheat Crackers
Crackers are so fun and easy to make at home—why don’t we do it more often? I was late to this realization, too, taking the overflowing cracker aisle at the grocery store as proof that going the homemade route wouldn’t be worth the effort. These have a satisfying snap, a flaky texture, and a wholesome wheaty flavor that’s permeated with olive oil. And they can be ready to eat in about an hour! The chia lends a bit of tenderness to the cracker—think of it as a chia egg—and the cornmeal brings a delightful sandiness. This recipe is easily doubled if you need a larger yield; just divide the dough into two pieces before rolling it out.
Makes one 11×18-inch baking sheet of crackers, enough to serve 6
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon chia seeds, ground in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle
1 tablespoon cornmeal
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2½ tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing
¼ cup water
Coarse or flaky salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
Steps
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, chia seeds, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Drizzle the olive oil into the mixture and stir with a fork until the mixture forms moist crumbles. Add the water and continue stirring with a fork until the mixture begins to come together—treating this like pie crust in that you don’t want to overwork it. If you pinch a small handful and it doesn’t cohere, add another teaspoon of water. Knead for about 30 seconds to bring together the dough and shape it into a rectangle. Wrap it in plastic and allow to rest for about 20 minutes.
Trim a piece of parchment paper to fit inside a standard baking sheet (11 inches by 18 inches) with no overhang. Lay out a larger sheet of parchment on a work area, place the dough in its center, and set the trimmed parchment on top. Using a rolling pin, roll out the mixture until uniformly thin and it covers as much of the top-piece of parchment as possible. Flip the whole parchment-cracker parcel over and peel off the larger piece of parchment. Brush with olive oil, then sprinkle generously with the coarse or flaky salt and black pepper. Use a sharp knife to cut the sheet into any shape you prefer (I prefer long strips), then slide the crackers onto the baking sheet, using the bottom sheet of parchment as a sled.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the crackers are browned a chestnut color and crisp. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to a week or two.
Gingery Green Tahini Dip
This vibrant green dip comes together in minutes. It’s decadently creamy, thanks to tahini, but contains no dairy at all. The ginger is assertive, giving it heat as well as a floral fragrance. It’d be terrific on a vegetable wrap or sandwich sandwich—I’m thinking one of those hippie ones with the alfalfa sprouts, using this spread in place of the tofu cream cheese—but for a snacks spread, it compliments almost any kind of vegetable and any neutrally flavored wheat or rice cracker.
Makes about 1 cup
6 ounces (2 scant cups) frozen spinach
⅓ cup well-stirred tahini
1 tablespoon peeled and coarsely chopped fresh ginger
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon maple syrup
¾ teaspoon salt
Steps
Thaw the spinach—you can do this in the microwave, or by dropping it into a saucepan of boiling water for 30 seconds and then draining, or leaving it in a colander for a few hours. When cool enough to handle, squeeze it dry.
Combine the drained spinach with the tahini, ginger, lemon, maple, and salt in a food processor, and process thoroughly for a few minutes until smooth, so that no chunks of ginger remain. With the motor running, drizzle in 1 to 2 tablespoons water to lighten the consistency. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt or lemon if needed. Stored in an airtight container, it’ll keep for about 5 days.