vegan mofo :: savory "pop" tarts

I made these savory toaster tarts with vegan cream cheese and L to R, olives, harissa and pesto [Olive and cream cheese were my favorite but they were all delish.]

In reflecting on my VeganMofo theme of going Back to Basics, I was thinking today about how kitchen "basics" can different for everyone. My idea of basics might not be yours, and vice-versa, and basics can change from place to place and from season to season, from city lofts to country farmhouses.

FInally, toaster tarts for adults, fresh from the oven, before cutting.

My personal "basic du jour?" I've been testing pie recipes non-stop and, with F-stop, have been styling and shooting pie photos for the new cookbook, resulting in...what else? .....mountains of pie crust! But what to do with all these blobs of carby goodness?

My second cookbook included a recipe called Pop-Art Tarts – basically a homemade version of pop-tarts. Today, I after spying a bowl of unrolled pie crust and sundry jars of savory condiments that have accumulated in my refrigerator, I decided to take the recipe a step farther and make homemade "pop" tarts for adults – savory homemade toaster tarts. These are basically a sandwich: think of the pie crust as the bread slices, and in my case, vegan cream cheese, harissa olives and homemade pesto as the fillings. One or two of these would make a great lunch, but I think next time I have a party [and that time is drawing near] I will definitely makes these, cut into bite-size squares, to serve as appetizers.

Cut into cute, bite-sized squares, these are no-brainer party appetizers.

Filling ideas are limited only by your imagination. I think vegan cheese, vegan tapenade, bruschetta spread, vegan shredded cheese with refried beams, nut butters, or sun-dried tomatoes would also make fantastic choices. What will you use to make your savory toaster tarts?

Sweet vegan cream cheese contrasted against salty olives = heaven in a crust.

Savory "Pop" Tarts

Crust:

• 4 T Earth Balance
• 4 T non-hydrogenated vegan shortening
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• About 5-7 T ice cold water.

Filling(s):

• Any savory, spreadable or thin filling, eg, vegan cream cheese, pesto, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, shredded vegan cheese with refried bean, about 1 tsp per tart

Number of servings varies, depending on how large you cut your tarts.

Prepare dough: Cut fat into pea-sized chunks. Stir into flour to coat, then use a pastry cutter to blend. Add salt, then add water 1 T at a time, until a small pinch of dough holds together with your fingers. Refrigerate for an hour before rolling.

You don't need a pastry wheel but using one makes things look neater.

To roll: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly flour a pastry mat or waxed paper. Roll dough about 1/8-inch thick. Using a pastry wheel, a knife or large, simple cookie cutters, cut out an even number of shapes [You'll need a top and bottom for each tart]. You will probably need to reroll the scraps.

I used the rectangular bottom from a small tart tray for a template, so my tarts measured about 1 by 3 inches. I think using a pastry wheel makes them look neater, plus it's easier to use than a knife.

Fill each tart with less than 1 tsp of flling, leaving about 1/4 inch of space around the edges.

Place tops on and crimp edges with a fork, and cut a few air vents into the top crusts.

Bake at 375 degrees for 22-25 minutes, or until top is golden brown. You can reheat them in the toaster or toaster oven.

Fresh from the oven.

Betcha' can't eat just one. I couldn't.