Harvest Tarts

This is another appetizer I served for Game Night several weeks ago. I've had this recipe marked for 5 years! It's from the Quick Short Chicken Recipes cookbook my aunt gave me when I started graduate school. I always turn to it when I'm flipping through the book, but never felt I had the right occasion to try it out. The original name of this dish is "Chicken Tarts with Pumpkin, Spinach, and Haloumi." This name was way too long, so my friend Kathleen suggested we call them "Harvest Tarts," and the name stuck.

In order to prep these in time for the party, I cut up and roasted the pie pumpkins the night before. I used two pumpkins and had a ton left over, so I've adjusted the recipe for 1. I couldn't find haloumi cheese, but a quick Google search revealed that it's simply a high melting point cheese similar to frying cheese, which Trader Joe's carries. Have you ever seen the cheeses at Trader Joe's??? SOOOO much cheaper than our local grocery store. Even cream cheese and mascarpone are much, much cheaper, which surprised me!

The party guests really liked these tarts. Bob and I thought they were tasty but needed a little something else - maybe a sauce? I'm not quite sure, but if you serve them with a sauce it's probably best on the side, otherwise it might soften the pastry.

Harvest Tarts

Ingredients:

1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
3 Tablespoons olive oil

2 small chicken breasts, sliced

15 ounces pumpkin, sliced into 1-in x 1-in thin squares

1 1/4 ounces baby spinach leaves

4 1/2 ounces haloumi or frying cheese

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F.

1. To roast the pumpkin, put the slices on a baking sheet and brush with 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying a pan and cook the chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper, until cooked through.

3. Unfold puff pastry into a large square. The original recipe says to cut the pastry into 4 equal squares (roughly 5 x 5-inch). I wanted smaller tarts since it was one of many appetizers, so I cut the pastry into 9 equal squares.

4. Top pastry with slices of pumpkin, spinach leaves, chicken, and a slice of the cheese. Brush the entire thing (including the pastry dough) with remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

3. Bake for 25 minutes or until pastry has puffed and slightly browned.

Source: Adapted from the Quick Short Chicken Recipes cookbook