Creative Cooking with Southern Flair!
BLT-app's
"Toasted bread tarts, filled with Parmesan, garlic, cream cheese, topped with Calabrian chilis, smokey bacon, white balsamic lettuce, fresh tomatoes and basil"
Ingredients
Mini tart pan, 2 inch diameter (24) cavities
Tart tamper
6 slices white bread, cut into 1/4's (Bunny)
Cheese Filling
12 ounces, full fat cream cheese (1 1/2 blocks)
room temp
1 1/2 ounces finely grated, Parmesan cheese
1 1/3 teaspoons-to taste, freshly minced garlic
Crispy bacon strips
1 cup finely chopped, Iceberg lettuce
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Grape tomatoes, halved
Chopped, Calabrian chilis in oil, jarred
Salt & pepper
Fresh basil, 1 bunch
Mini tartlet cups, (holders) 2 inch
Piping bag with round tip
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F.
To fill tart pan, place a piece of the quartered bread over a cavity pressing firmly to shape bread tart, (see video reel) repeat until all tart cavities are filled. Place in the center of oven and bake 8-9 minutes, until toasted. Bottoms should be lightly golden, lift one to see. Remove from oven and let cool.
Cheese Filling
Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix over medium speed, using a hand held mixer until smooth.
Add the chopped lettuce to a bowl, drizzle over the white balsamic, sprinkle over the sugar and toss well.
Assembly: Fill the piping bag with the cream cheese mixture and fill a bread tart shell. Spoon on a little of the Calabrian chilis in oil, add a piece or two of bacon, add lettuce, halved tomato, lightly season tomato with a small sprinkle of salt (optional), grind black pepper over the top and finish with a small piece of basil. Place into a tart holder and then place onto a serving platter, repeat until all bread tarts are assembled. Be careful when moving platter, that app's don't slide off.