Name: Mini Avocado and Tomato Tarts
Ingredients: Puff Pastry: 1 sheet (about 10-14 ounces), thawed. The foundation of our tarts; using a quality all-butter puff pastry will yield the flakiest, most delicious results.; Large Avocados: 2, ripe but still firm. These create the creamy, luscious base of the tart filling. Hass avocados are an excellent choice for their rich flavor and texture.; Cherry Tomatoes: 1 pint (about 2 cups), halved. These little jewels provide a burst of sweet, juicy flavor and beautiful color.; Feta Cheese: ½ cup, crumbled. Adds a salty, briny counterpoint to the creamy avocado and sweet tomatoes.; Lemon: 1, for juice. Essential for preventing the avocado from browning and adding a bright, zesty note that cuts through the richness.; Garlic: 1 clove, minced. A small amount adds a wonderful aromatic depth and savory flavor to the avocado mash.; Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons, divided. Used for brushing the pastry and enriching the flavor of the overall tart.; Large Egg: 1, beaten. This is for the egg wash, which gives the pastry borders a beautiful, glossy golden-brown finish.; Fresh Basil or Parsley: ¼ cup, chopped, for garnish. Adds a final touch of freshness and a pop of green color.; Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper: To taste. To season the avocado filling and finish the tarts.

Ingredients

Puff Pastry: 1 sheet (about 10-14 ounces), thawed. The foundation of our tarts; using a quality all-butter puff pastry will yield the flakiest, most delicious results.
Large Avocados: 2, ripe but still firm. These create the creamy, luscious base of the tart filling. Hass avocados are an excellent choice for their rich flavor and texture.
Cherry Tomatoes: 1 pint (about 2 cups), halved. These little jewels provide a burst of sweet, juicy flavor and beautiful color.
Feta Cheese: ½ cup, crumbled. Adds a salty, briny counterpoint to the creamy avocado and sweet tomatoes.
Lemon: 1, for juice. Essential for preventing the avocado from browning and adding a bright, zesty note that cuts through the richness.
Garlic: 1 clove, minced. A small amount adds a wonderful aromatic depth and savory flavor to the avocado mash.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons, divided. Used for brushing the pastry and enriching the flavor of the overall tart.
Large Egg: 1, beaten. This is for the egg wash, which gives the pastry borders a beautiful, glossy golden-brown finish.
Fresh Basil or Parsley: ¼ cup, chopped, for garnish. Adds a final touch of freshness and a pop of green color.
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper: To taste. To season the avocado filling and finish the tarts.

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare the Pastry: Begin by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Carefully unfold your thawed puff pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface. Gently roll it out just slightly to smooth any creases. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, trim the edges to make them even, then cut the sheet into 6 equal rectangles.
Create the Tart Borders: Place the pastry rectangles onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between them. Using the tip of a paring knife, score a border about ½-inch from the edge of each rectangle. Be careful not to cut all the way through the pastry. This scoring will allow the edges to puff up beautifully, creating a raised crust to hold the filling.
Dock and Blind Bake: Inside the scored border, gently prick the center of each pastry rectangle with a fork several times. This process, known as “docking,” prevents the base from puffing up too much, ensuring a flat, stable surface for your toppings. In a small bowl, beat the egg with a splash of water to create an egg wash. Brush this mixture lightly over the scored borders of each tart. This will give them a gorgeous, golden shine. Bake the pastry shells for 15-18 minutes, or until they are puffed up and a light golden brown. This initial “blind bake” is crucial for a crisp, non-soggy crust.
Prepare the Avocado Filling: While the pastry shells are baking, prepare your creamy avocado base. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl. Immediately squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the avocado to prevent it from oxidizing and turning brown. Add the minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a generous pinch of sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Using a fork, mash the ingredients together until you reach your desired consistency. Some prefer it completely smooth, while a slightly chunkier texture can add a lovely rustic feel.
Assemble the Tarts: Once the pastry shells are out of the oven, you may need to gently press down the centers again with the back of a spoon if they have puffed up significantly. Let them cool for just a minute or two. Carefully spread the prepared avocado mash evenly within the golden, puffed-up borders of each tart shell.
Add Toppings and Final Bake: Arrange the halved cherry tomatoes on top of the avocado layer, cut-side up. Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese generously over the tomatoes. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over all the tarts.
Finish and Garnish: Return the assembled tarts to the oven and bake for another 5-7 minutes. You’re not looking to cook them further, but simply to warm the toppings through, soften the tomatoes slightly, and allow the feta to become warm and slightly melty.
Serve: Remove the tarts from the oven. Let them cool for a few minutes, as they are best served warm, not piping hot. Just before serving, sprinkle them with the chopped fresh basil or parsley and an extra crack of black pepper.

Nutrition

Serving Size: one normal portion
Calories: 420