Apple and Aged Cheddar Tart

  • Yield: 6 to 8
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes

Appetizer. Snack. Meal. This perfect anytime-of-day savoury apple tart is easy to make and easier to eat. When shopping for your favourite U.S.-grown apples, such as Gala or Honeycrisp, grab some store-bought pastry dough, a convenient time-saver.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 2 cups (500 mL) sliced U.S. Gala or Granny Smith apples*
  • 3 tbsp (45 mL) cooking sherry
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) grainy Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) balsamic vinegar
  • ½ tsp (2 mL) kosher or sea salt
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 pkg (397 g) brick-style puff pastry (or 2 sheets pre rolled puff pastry)
  • 2 cups (500 mL) loose packed grated aged Cheddar, divided
  • Thyme for garnish

Directions:

  1. Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat; sauté onion and garlic for 1 minute. Add apples, sherry, mustard, vinegar and salt; cook further 2 minutes. Stir in thyme and transfer to a plate to cool.
  2. Roll out puff pastry into an 11 x 17 inch (28 x 42 cm) rectangle. Trim ends if desired to make straight edges. Sprinkle with 1 cup (250 mL) grated Cheddar; arrange apple mixture evenly on top and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup (250 mL) grated Cheddar.
  3. Bake in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Garnish with thyme and slice into 12 equal triangles.

Notes:

*Other varieties, such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, Empire, Jonagold, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Braeburn, and Red Rome also work equally well.

Nutrition Facts:

PER SERVING (1/6th recipe or 2 triangles): 550 calories, 37 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 520 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrates, 2 g fibre, 6 g sugars, 13 g protein. %DV: 18 % calcium, 12 % iron, 11 % vitamin A, 6 % vitamin C.