Over the Christmas holiday in the States, I took possession of this recipe for Crab Tartelettes and I am admittedly proud of my culinary skills which seem to be improving with every recipe I steal procure. This little gem comes from "Tapas" by Tee and Doeser with my modifications. It’s easy and creates leftovers for several days which, to me, is what cooking is all about.
To get the taste just right, I recommend using the ingredients as listed, particularly the cheese. I’m a bit of a Manchego fanatic so I can’t imagine these tartelettes being half as noteworthy with a substitute of any kind (though I welcome a challenge if you find something suitable!).
Ingredients
Makes 24
1 tbsp Spanish Olive Oil (I didn't have that, used olive oil)
1 small onion, finely chopped (Try to keep the tears out of the bowl. I opened the window and started screaming though I imagine my neighbors thought I was being beaten.)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped (With a lovely enduring fragrance under the finger nails that will last all week!)
Splash of dry white wine (May have been more than a splash)
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk or light cream (I used a mix of both)
6 oz/175g canned crabmeat, drained (For all you French chefs, I purchased mine at Monoprix)
1/2 cup Manchego grated (Best cheese ever)
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I'm going to pretend that my husband didn't start clipping the leaves with dirty scissors)
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Pie Crust
I bought mine at the store for the sake of time but you need 500g (1 lb 2 oz). When I make my own, I typically use this olive oil whole wheat crust.
Method
Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C. For crabmeat filling, heat the olive oil in a skillet, adding the onion and cook for 5 minutes (until softened but NOT browned). Then add the garlic (and run away), cook for an additional 30 seconds. Add the splash (or bottle) of dry white wine for 1-2 mins.
Lightly whisk eggs in a large bowl, adding in the milk and/or cream. Add crabmeat, heavenly cheese, parsley and finally the onion mixture. Season this with nutmeg, salt and pepper then mix well.
Thin out the dough on a floured surface and cut the pastry into 18 circles (I tested and used a coffee mug with a relatively wide mouth to make circles that would be big enough for our muffin pan). Pile the extra trimmings together and cut out an additional 6 circles. Line the tartlet pans, spoon in the mixture (carefully) without overfilling them.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let them deflate (or in more professional terms, SET). Since our wimpy French oven is smaller than standard American ovens, we cooked it between 20-23 minutes.
Enjoy with a smile and a glass of that wine, if there's any left.
Bon appétit!
Image © Lindsey Tramuta for BitchBuzz.com