Phyllo Cheese Tart on Green Bean Salad

The basic idea comes from an Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa) recipe which describes a salad that you might serve as a full course meal at a lunchen. My take is a smaller version using fewer layers of phyllo and a smaller amount of cheese which becomes perfect for a first course salad at dinner.

Dec 29, 2015

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 sheets of phyllo
  • 4 tbs butter and 1 tbs of oil
  • 8 tbs of * cheese
  • about a cup of good bread crumbs or panko
  • 36 fresh green beans
  • salad greens enough for 8 people
  • A balsamic-based salad dressing
  • OPTIONAL: dried cranberries

*note: The cheese is your choice. The Barefoot Contessa's original recipe called for bucheron, which is an aged goat cheese. I think that any good goat cheese is perfect for this recipe, although you could use anything from a sharp cheddar to a ripe brie.

METHOD: Makes 8

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Blanch the green beans. This means to barely cook them and then immediately chill. Place the beans in boiling water for 30 seconds and remove to a bowl of ice water. Then put the "blanched" beans in a baggy in the refer. This can be done ahead.

Phyllo is a laminated dough made of layers of butter-enriched unleavened flour, similar to that used to make croissants or the popular Greek desert, Baklava. It comes in a box, usually with 2 individual sealed containers of rolled sheets.

Thaw phyllo per instructions on the box. - lay a damp (not wet) tea cloth over phyllo or it will dry out real fast.

Melt 4 tbs of butter and add 1 tbs oil...set aside.

Separate 1 sheet of phyllo, cut it in half, brush the first half with a little of the butter mixture and sprinkle a tsp of bread crumbs around the center; position the second layer of phyllo on top of this and repeat the process with the butter and bread crumbs. Position about a tbs of your cheese in the center of the top (second) layer. With a sharp knive or kitchen scissors, cut off the 4 outer edges so that you end up with a square of about 4 or 5 inches in diameter. Fold the sides up over the top of the cheese and brush the covered top with a bit more butter. Place tart on a baking sheet.

Repeat the process 7 more times (or for the total amount of tarts you need).

Place baking sheet with your tarts in the oven and bake until they are golden brown...10-12 minutes.

While tarts are baking, arrange 8 salad plates with a small bed of greens (think arugala as part of the mixture). Place 4 of the chilled green beans on the outer perimeter of each salad. Add a small amount of a balsamic-based dressing and some dried cranberries..

Once the tarts are ready, remove from the oven and let cool for about 4-5 minutes before placing each one on top of the bed of greens.

ENJOY!
 
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