I learned one important lesson: despite thinking myself a master of multitasking, I can’t do everything at once. Add one more task to an already long list and unexpected problems are likely to appear.
That happened a few weeks ago when I decided to cook, style and shoot three recipes in a single day — and, naturally, to make puff pastry from scratch. I never buy ready-made pastry. I took the butter out to soften, but I didn’t notice that it was 85°F outside and that our house has no air conditioning. By the time I began the dough, the butter was dangerously soft, almost mushy. Most sensible people would have abandoned the puff pastry plan, thinking, “The butter is too soft; it will fail.” Not me. I have a stubborn streak and sometimes act against my better judgment.
It reminded me of another moment when I emptied quinoa from a bulk container in Whole Foods and forgot to place my bag underneath. Instead of stopping to fix it, I stood watching the grains spill across the floor, frozen in a plan that I couldn’t—and didn’t—change.
Unsurprisingly, my first puff pastry attempt failed and I had to start again. Stubborn as I am, I repeated the process until the dough behaved. The second batch reached the right consistency and puffed beautifully in a warm oven. That allowed me to make one of the dishes I’d planned and even improve the recipe on the second try. In the end, what began as a setback turned into an opportunity, and both P. and I loved the result. We do love our tarts — perhaps it’s one of the things that keeps us together. Just kidding.
As promised, here’s the first recipe featuring Sainte Maure. Simple, elegant, individual-sized tartlets that combine eggplant, thyme, radishes and a touch of honey. They’re easy to make and perfect when you need something uncomplicated and delicious.
You will need:
- Puff pastry (about 9 oz for 8 tartlets)
- 1 Sainte Maure cheese
- 2 small Italian-style eggplants
- Fresh thyme
- Liquid flower honey
- A few pink radishes
- Olive oil
- Chive flowers
- Fleur de sel
- Freshly cracked pepper
Steps:
- Wash and slice the eggplants. Place the slices in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let them rest for 30 minutes to draw out moisture.
- Pat the slices dry with paper towel. Heat 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick pan and sauté the slices 2–3 minutes per side. Add more oil if needed. Set aside.
- Roll the puff pastry thinly and cut into 4-inch (about 10 cm) squares.
- Prick each square with a fork, leaving a small border. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C).
- Remove the pastry from the fridge. Place one eggplant slice on each square, then top with one or two slices of Sainte Maure.
- Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves, add a drizzle of olive oil and season with pepper. Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden and puffed.
- When the tartlets are golden, remove them from the oven. Finish each with thin radish slices, a pinch of fleur de sel, a chive flower and about 1/2 teaspoon of honey.
Ingrédients :
- Pâte feuilletée (environ 250 g pour 8 tartelettes)
- 1 fromage de Sainte Maure
- 2 petites aubergines italiennes
- Thym frais
- Miel liquide aux fleurs
- Quelques radis roses
- Huile d’olive
- Fleurs de ciboulette
- Fleur de sel
- Poivre du moulin
Préparation :
- Lavez et coupez les aubergines en fines rondelles. Placez-les dans une passoire et saupoudrez de gros sel. Laissez dégorger 30 minutes.
- Essuyez l’excès d’eau, puis faites chauffer 2 cuillères à soupe d’huile d’olive dans une poêle antiadhésive. Faites revenir les rondelles 2–3 minutes de chaque côté. Ajoutez de l’huile si nécessaire. Réservez.
- Étalez la pâte finement et découpez des carrés de 10 cm.
- Piquez-les à la fourchette, déposez-les sur une plaque et couvrez-les de film alimentaire. Mettez au frais 30 minutes.
- Préchauffez le four à 210°C.
- Disposez une rondelle d’aubergine sur chaque carré, puis ajoutez une ou deux rondelles de Sainte Maure.
- Saupoudrez de thym effeuillé, ajoutez un filet d’huile d’olive et poivrez. En général je ne sale pas, le fromage et les aubergines apportent déjà du goût. Faites cuire 15–20 minutes.
- Une fois dorées, sortez les tartelettes et décorez-les de rondelles de radis, d’une fleur de ciboulette et d’1/2 cuillère à café de miel liquide.