Quick post/Quick Friday dinner time!

I actually made this on Sunday for Easter lunch/dinner, but it also happens to be one of my favorite fast go-to dishes. My sister Valerie is nuts about this goat cheese tart and it’s the number one thing she requests when I’m home and cooking, and it’s easy to understand why. The tart is light and delicate, but also rich and satisfying, making it the perfect dish for brunch, lunch, or dinner. The dressing I threw together since I had leftover dill from the tart and buttermilk from making cinnamon rolls.

I cut time by using a prepared pie crust (which I had leftover from a previous baking adventure), but you can easily just use refrigerated pie crust and roll it out. The rest of the dish comes together in just a few minutes and then it’s just waiting for it to bake, which can be torturous but hey, just treat yourself to a glass of wine (a nice crisp sauvignon blanc is to die for with this dish) and relax. It’s the weekend!

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Goat Cheese Tart

Based on the recipe from Ina Garten.

Makes 12 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 prepared or store-bought pie crust, at room temperature
• 4 shallots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 9 ounces soft goat cheese, preferably with herbs
• ¾ cup half-and-half
• 3 extra-large eggs
• ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (½ cup if you’re not using herb goat cheese, I like basil and dill)
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

1.) Preheat oven to 350° F. Roll out prepared pie dough to fit an 11″ tart pan with a removable bottom (although I have made this with a glass solid tart pan with no problem). Poke the bottom with a few holes, fill with dried beans or pie weights, and bake until slightly golden, about 10 minutes.

2.) While the shell bakes, prepare the filling. In the bowl of a food processor, chop the shallots and garlic until small, but not fine. Heat the tablespoon of butter over medium heat in a small pan, and then saute the shallots and garlic until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

3.) Rinse the bowl of the food processor and add the herbs. Pulse a few times until chopped. Then add the goat cheese, half and half, eggs, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.

4.) Assemble the tart. Sprinkle the shallots and garlic over the bottom of the prepared tart shell. Pour the goat cheese mixture over the top and bake until set and the top is slightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing from the tart pan. Serve warm or at room temperature with a nice leafy salad and crisp white wine.

Buttermilk Dill Salad Dressing

This dressing only gets better the next day, so don’t be afraid to double it and save some for the weekend. It thickens and the flavor gets even better the longer it sits.

Ingredients

• ½ cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup Greek yogurt or low-fat mayonnaise (whatever you have on hand)
• 1/3 cup fresh dill, chopped
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1.) Whisk together all ingredients, taste for seasoning. Toss with fresh baby spinach and enjoy.

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