Oh my. These are dangerously good. But you do need a good pie pastry, which I do have here, because pastry enjoyment is an essential part of these tartlets. I used 3 large ramekins; smaller ones would not give balance between pastry and filling. With a salad you have a perfect meal for two and you can fight over the third tartlet the following day. I gave it to my constant friend and lately food taster Ann, who picked it up and brought back the ramekin with two words; “More please!”
WAX BEAN TARTLETS
1/4 batch of pie pastry
3 large ramekins
Filling:
200 g tender, young wax beans [2/3 cup chopped]
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 whole shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
few sprigs of fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten with a fork
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled [250 g]
1/2 cup whipping cream
3 Tbsp flaked parmesan
ground pepper to taste
• Use only fresh tender wax beans. Mature, stringy beans are not recommended.
• Use creamy feta. If the feta is very salty, soak in cold water for a couple of hours before use.
• Make the pie pastry first and then set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400F.
• Wash the wax beans and remove the top ends only. Young beans are not stringy and you can also leave on the tails.
• Cut up the wax beans into inch long pieces and blanch them in boiling water for 3 minutes.
• Drain the beans and set them aside.
• In a small non stick skillet, sauté the chopped shallot and garlic they soften Do not brown.
• Remove skillet from the heat and add the wax beans.
• Transfer the mixture to a smaller bowl.
• Add the chopped parsley, the beaten egg, the crumbled feta, the whipping cream and gently combine.
• Season the mixture with ground pepper. Do NOT add salt, the feta will make the filling sufficiently seasoned with salt.
• Roll out the pastry into 3 large circles and fully line the ramekins.
• Divide the filling between the ramekins.
• Place in the oven and bake the tartlets for 25 minutes.
• After 25 minutes reduce the heat to 375F and bake until the tops get a nice golden color.
• Remove the tartlets from the oven.
• Tartlets can be served piping hot in the ramekins.
• If you want them served on their own, let them cool down so they can be handled.
• Hot or warm, serve the tartlets with a green salad.
