Tomato, Thyme and Pancetta Tartlets

A quick meal to make and so delicious to eat! Italian pancetta or Spanish panceta is a type of dry cured meat. It is pork belly that has been salt cured and spiced (nutmeg, pepper, fennel, dried ground hot peppers and garlic are often featured), and dried for about three months and is not usually smoked. Click here for more Pancetta (bacon like) recipes. Ricotta is a fresh cheese (as opposed to ripened or aged), grainy and creamy white in appearance, slightly sweet in taste, and contains around 5% fat. In this form, it is somewhat similar in texture to some cottage cheese variants, though considerably lighter. Thyme, a savory pungent flavor, is an amazing addition to bean, egg and vegetable dishes. Thyme has a long history of use in natural medicine in connection with chest and respiratory problems including coughs, bronchitis, and chest congestion.

Serves 4
recipe from Gourmet Traveller

2 375g butter puff pastry sheets
300g ricotta
1 egg
finely grated rind and juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
small garlic, finely grated
1/4 small Spanish onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
4 thin slices round pancetta
1 teaspoon aged balsamic vinegar
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
basil leaves to serve

Preheat oven to 200c. Cut four 12cm diameter rounds from pastry and place on a baking paper-lined oven tray. Score inside edges to form a 1cm border, prick within border with a fork and set aside in the refrigerator.

Combine ricotta, egg, lemon rind, thyme and garlic in a bowl, season to taste and mix until smooth. Divide mixture among pastry bases, spreading evenly within border. Scatter onion over, drizzle with a little olive oil and bake until puffed and golden (15-20 minutes). Meanwhile, place pancetta on a baking paper-lined oven tray and bake until just crisp (2-3 minutes), coarsely chop and set aside.

Combine lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil in a small bowl, season to taste and mix to combine. Add tomatoes, toss to coat. Spoon into tartlets, scatter with basil leaves and pancetta. Serve immediately.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: This is such an easy dish to make. You may want to use 4 sheets of puff pastry and put two on top of each other as I found the puff pastry I used wasn’t thick enough. The end result should have higher edges but never mind, it still tasted great! Serve it up with a green salad.