Savory Apple Cheddar Tart Squares with Puff Pastry

Savory Apple Cheddar Tart Squares with Puff Pastry

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 22

Total Time: 37

Servings: servings

Calories: 177kcal

Author: Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju

Puff pastry squares spread with thyme ricotta and sharp cheddar, topped with thin apple and red onion, baked until crisp underneath and finished with honey and flaky salt.

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Equipment

1 Mandoline optional

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry thawed but cold
6 oz whole-milk ricotta about ¾ cup
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar
1½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves divided
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 medium Cosmic Crisp apple cored and sliced paper-thin
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
1 large egg beaten
1 tablespoon honey
¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the lower-middle position. Line a sheet pan with parchment.
If the ricotta looks watery, drain it in a fine sieve for 5 minutes. Stir together the ricotta, cheddar, 1 teaspoon of the thyme, the salt and pepper.
Unroll the pastry onto the sheet pan. With a knife, lightly mark it into 12 squares, 3 across and 4 down (about 3 by 3½ inches each), without cutting through.
Score a ¼-inch border inside each square and prick the centers all over with a fork.
Spread a heaping tablespoon of the ricotta mixture inside each border.
Top each square with a few overlapping apple slices and tuck a little onion between them.
Brush the borders with egg.
Bake 22 minutes, turning the pan halfway, until the borders are deep golden and the bottom is crisp when you lift a corner.
Drizzle with honey and finish with the remaining thyme and the flaky salt. Cut along the marked lines into 12 squares and serve warm.

Notes

Brush the borders with melted butter instead of egg for egg-free squares. They brown less, so bake by color, not time.
Honeycrisp or Granny Smith work in place of Cosmic Crisp. Avoid soft apples like McIntosh. Slice the apple right before assembling so it doesn't brown.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat at 350°F for 6 to 8 minutes to re-crisp.

Nutrition