Roasted Apple, Shallot and Cheese Tart
- ¾ pound shallots, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick (about 2 cups)
- 2 pounds Granny Smith (or other tart apples) cored and sliced ¼ inch thick (do not peel!)(about 4 cups)
- 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (Meyer if you have it)
- ½ cup olive oil, divided
- 8 ounces Joe Matos St. Jorge cheese, diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves pulled from stems
- 1 package frozen all butter puff pastry* (2 sheets), thawed
- Kosher salt, flake or smoked salt and ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the lemon juice in a medium bowl and toss the sliced apples in it promptly to keep from browning. Add the shallots, olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and toss to coat. Spread on 2 silpat or foil lined sheet pans and roast until tender and starting to color, about 25 minutes. Remove on silpat or foil to rack and allow to cool for a few minutes. Reduce oven heat to 400 degrees. Unroll 1 pastry sheet on each sheet pan. Carefully arrange (keeping apple slices intact) apples and shallots over pastry sheets. Distribute cheese and thyme as well. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with a little flaked or smoked salt and ground pepper. Bake until pastry is golden (rotating pans after 10 minutes) about 20 minutes.
*Trader Joes has a frozen all butter puff pastry that comes 2 sheets to the package