Sunday, July 10, 2011

TARTED UP PIZZA

This is an excellent use of a small amount of left over Roasted Chicken (see previous post) or just about any type of left over poultry, including duck or turkey.
    Will serve six as a starter, ten as an appetizer or four for a light lunch or dinner.   For a dinner, serve with Cold Satin Soup, a fruit salad and gelato for dessert.
    (Note:  If you lick your fingers it cuts down on the calories!)

Recipe

(Adapted from a vegetarian recipe from Relish.com)
Preheat over to 450°

1 Tbs olive oil
1 shallot (minced)
1/2 pound asparagus cut into 2" pieces
1 sheet puff pastry (thawed)
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
3/4 cup finely chopped cooked poultry
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 egg yolk mixed with 1/2 teaspoon water

Heat olive oil in a medium size non-stick skilled.   Being careful not to brown the shallot, saute until tender (1 to 2 minutes).  Add asparagus and cook over medium-high heat until asparagus is tender.  Remove from heat.

Cut a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover a 10x16" baking sheet.  Place the parchment paper in the baking sheet.  Put the puff pastry on top of it and gently press and pat it until it nearly covers the parchment paper.

Spread the ricotta cheese (again, I used my hands ... it's easier!) leaving a small border of about one inch.  Spoon the asparagus mixture over the ricotta.  Sprinkle the chicken over the asparagus and add the cheese, covering everything except the border.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Brush the edge of the tart with egg and water mixture.

Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Let cool slightly, cut into desired sizes and serve warm.

2 comments:

  1. This looks delicious and very simple. I like puff pastry but have never tried it in a non-sweet dish capacity. I'll be giving this a go this weekend and will post my reactions. :)

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  2. A review of surprises! I made this recipe following the ingredients to the tee and am in love with it! Whenever I've had or made pizza, I've never thought outside of the box. It was always the same old toppings, same old cheese, same old crust. The lightness of the puff pastry, the subtlety of the asparagus, and the tang of the ricotta were just perfect. It was delicious and didn't weigh me down like your typical pizza would. This was very light, very refreshing, and very tasty. I'll be sharing this recipe with my in-laws. They enjoy chicken dumplings and the extra chicken left over won't have to be wasted on a sandwich anymore. :)

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