Goat Cheese and Herb - A Tart Goes Light

The desire to order a rich delectable goat cheese tart as an appetizer in a restaurant is usually tempered by the rueful realization that we can no longer have dessert. But a little experimentation on a lazy Sunday afternoon produced this far lighter version that keeps the mouth watering flavor while removing some of the fat, calories and cholesterol.

They 're still not light enough to qualify as an everyday recipe but at least they can be enjoyed a bit more often. And they're quite filling so, paired with a mesculin or roasted beet salad, they make an amazing lunch or light dinner...with dessert, of course!


Ingredients:
Crust

1 1/4 Cups all-purpose flour plus extra for rolling out dough

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled

4 Tablespoons low-fat butter, chilled

1 Teaspoon salt

1/2 Cup ice water

Filling

1 Shallot, diced

2 Cloves garlic, minced

6 oz. Low-fat goat cheese

1/4 Cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 Tablespoons fat-free half and half
2 Tablespoons low-fat milk

1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

To form the crust, combine the flour, salt and butter in a food processor. Pulse a few times until the mixture resembles course crumbs. With the machine running, slowly pour in the water until a dough ball forms. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour.

When ready, remove the dough ball from the plastic and cut into four equal pieces. On a floured surface, roll out each dough ball and place in individual tart pans. You can also make one large tart or fun shapes and toppers.

To make the filling, sauté the shallot and garlic in the olive oil until soft and translucent. Allow to cool. Combine the goat cheese, ricotta, half and half, milk, herbs and seasoning in a bowl and mix well. Add the cooled shallot/garlic mixture and combine.

Pour the mixture evenly into the tart shells and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned and the mixture has set. Makes 4 individual tarts.