Here’s to trying new things!

What do you do when you’re served something you don’t particularly care for? What if it’s from a relative or close friend?

Throughout my life, I have not been a particular fan of tomatoes and olives.  I’ll eat tomato sauce, something with cooked tomatoes in it, but never just a tomato.  The same with olives.

Well I was put in the position of “what to do” when I was over for dinner at my in-laws house, and my mother-in-law presented us with Tomato-Olive Tartlets with Thyme.  I, being someone who detests “rocking the boat” resolved to just eat some of it and shut up. (I think you can tell how this story will end)

I gobbled it up.  The puff pastry was flaky, and the tomatoes and olive spread made a delicious filling.  I have been thinking about them ever since, and decided to make them last night for dinner.

Tomato-Olive Tartlets with Thyme (Original recipe from an LCBO magazine, by way of my mother-in-law)

• 1/2 package of frozen puff pastry – thawed
• 1/2 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
• olive tapenade
• a few sprigs of thyme

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees

2. Cut tomatoes in half, put aside

3. Roll out the puff pastry until it’s approximately the size of a sheet of paper (81/2 x11)

4. Cut the dough into equal parts (I did 6, but you can do as many as you like) and place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper

5. With a fork, prick the dough in the centre of each piece, leaving a 1/2 edge all around

6. Using a light touch, spread the olive tapenade over the forked part of the dough, again leaving the edge bare

7. Place tomatoes, cut side down, on the pieces of dough, avoiding the edge.
8. Pull the leaves off of the thyme and sprinkle over the tarts
9. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and brown

10. Allow these to cool (the tomatoes are HOT) and enjoy!

These guys are great as an appetizer, or you could make bigger ones like I did and eat them for dinner.

So this just goes to show me that every veggie deserves a chance, no matter how gross I think it is!  Thanks Deb for exposing me to these yummy treats!

More From longlegsto

• What’s the best way to spend Blue Monday?
• Where’s the Beef?
• New Year’s resolutions

Ask longlegsto To Recommend Your Posts