Holiday Appetizer - Leek Tartlets

Cheers to pretty party food! Tis the season for entertaining, and we have one hard and fast rule when planning party menus - no stress allowed!

These leek tartlets with feta, dill, and pomegranate are incredibly simple and delicious. They can be made several hours ahead and assembled right before party time.

DO-AHEAD TIPS: Bake the tartlet shells in advance. Store pre-baked, unfilled shells in a single layer, air-tight container for up 2 days or in the freezer up to one week. Make the filling several hours ahead, store in the fridge and rewarm slightly when ready to assemble. To save even more time, use pre-baked phyllo or puff pastry shells.

WHAT YOU NEED:

·   1 disc of pie dough (enough for 24 tartlet shells) either homemade or store bought

·   4 tablespoons unsalted butter

·   2 large leeks, trimmed, washed, and thinly sliced crosswise

·   1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped, plus more for garnish

·   1/3 cup crème fraiche

·   Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (about 1/8 tsp.)

·   Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

·   Feta cheese, about 1/2 cup

·   Pomegranate seeds, for garnish (look for ready-to-eat seeds to save time)

WHAT YOU DO:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Roll out pie dough to about 1/8” thickness. Use a small round cookie cutter to cut 24 circles of dough and press each into tart pan (trim away any excess). Cover pan loosely with plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 15 minutes.

After dough has chilled, prick the bottom of the shells with a fork.  Place a piece of parchment or heavy-duty foil on top of each tartlet and fill cavity with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake tartlets until set and dry, about 15 minutes.  Remove parchment, and if shell interiors appear uncooked, return to the oven for a few minutes (without weights) and continue to bake until set and dry (prick any bubbles with a toothpick before returning to oven).  Allow shells to cool in pan, then remove. 

While shells are baking, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and cook until softened barely browned, about 8-10 minutes. Add the dill, crème fraiche, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium and bring mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Place a small amount of feta in each tartlet shell, then spoon the leek filling on top. Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill and a few pomegranate seeds.