A delicate pistachio sablé crust cradles a Gruyère fondue melded with tender and sweet leeks, green onions, and mushrooms in this exceptional interpretation of the classic savory French tart. The rusticly elegant accent of goat cheese-stuffed brie and drizzled honey compliments the perfect blend of savory and sweet to balance this flavorful tart.
Ingredients
For the Pistachio Sablé Crust:
1 cup dry-roasted and salted shelled pistachio nuts
¾ cup dry breadcrumbs
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cut into small cubes
7 tablespoons ice water
For the Leek, Ham and Mushroom Fondue Filling:
1½ tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces (1/2 stick) butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic cloves
7½ ounces (2 cups) large green onion (about ¾-inch in diameter), sliced in thin rounds
10½ ounces (4 cups) tender leeks (about 1-inch in diameter), sliced in thin rounds
6 ounces (2 cups) oyster mushrooms, roughly chopped
6 ounces (1¼ cups) thinly sliced cured rosemary ham, julienned in thin strips
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups (16 ounces) chicken stock
8 ounces (about 2½ cups) shredded Swiss Gruyère cheese
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
For the Honey, Brie and Goat Cheese Topping:
2 soft petite Brie 4-ounce cheese rounds (about 2½-inches in diameter)
1 creamy fresh 5-ounce goat cheese log (about 1- to 1½-inches in diameter)
Raw honey for drizzling
Dry-roasted and salted shelled pistachio nuts for garnish
Method
To Prepare the Pistachio Sablé Crust:
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade, process the pistachio nuts and breadcrumbs into a fine meal. Add in the flour, salt, and onion powder. Pulse to blend. Toss in the cubes of butter; pulse until the butter cuts into the flour mixture and forms into oatmeal-like texture but finer like cornmeal. With the processor running, pour the ice water through the opening, adding in tablespoon increments until the mixture clumps and forms into a ball in the processor bowl. Stop processing. Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough lightly about 3 times. Roll out about 1/8-inch thick. Fit to sides and bottom of removable-base tart pans with no higher than 1-inch sides. Chill dough in tart pans for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut parchment rounds large enough to cover the chilled tart dough and place on top. Fill each parchment-lined tart pan with ceramic pie weights (or other baking weights) to keep an even crust. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the thin crust has the sablé-like dry, shortbread crumb. Remove from the oven. Remove pie weights and parchment paper; allow to cool completely.
To Prepare the Leek, Ham and Mushroom Fondue Filling:
Place the butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the minced garlic, green onions rounds, and leek rounds in the heated olive oil and butter until the leeks and onions are soft, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add the oyster mushrooms. Sauté them slowly for about 2 minutes to permit them to sweat. Stir in the julienned slices of rosemary ham and the Dijon mustard. Add in the chicken stock, Gruyère cheese, salt, nutmeg, and lime juice. Stirring constantly, cook the mixture until the sauce reduces and thickens to the consistency of fondue. Pour in the heavy whipping cream. Continuing to stir, let the cream cook a few more minutes. Divide evenly to fill the baked and cooled tart shells.
To Prepare the Honey, Brie and Goat Cheese Topping:
Horizontally slice the first brie cheese round to form three medallions. Repeat with the second brie cheese round. Slice 6 medallions of goat cheese the same density as the brie cheese. With the tip of a sharp knife, or with a 1- to 1½-inch diameter round pastry cutter, remove the center of the brie and replace it with the goat cheese medallion of the same thickness. Place each cheese round on top of a filled tart. The warm leek mixture should allow the combined cheese medallions to soften and melt slightly. Generously drizzle the cheese and filling with honey. Garnish the top of the cheese medallions with pistachio nuts. Serve immediately while the tart is still warm.
Yields six 5-inch tarts or one large 12-inch tart.
To Prepare a Vegetarian Option:
Omit the rosemary ham slices. Replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock
Recipe Created and Stylized by R. Shannon Mock
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