Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Artichoke Dip Puff Pastry Tarts

Bubbly cheesy artichoke dip makes a wonderful filling for a puff pastry tart. Artichoke Dip Puff Pastry Tarts are the perfect, easy appetizer for your Christmas party.

Food Lust People Love: Artichoke Dip Puff Pastry Tarts are a quick and easy way to transform artichoke dip into little handheld tarts, perfect for parties!



Artichoke dip is a staple at our house for Christmas Eve, when we eat only appetizers and drink Champagne. The tradition started many, many years ago when my older sister would come to visit and somehow we all got busy and many gifts remained unwrapped the night before Christmas. So preparing a big dinner was out of the question but nibbles would be perfect.

Early in the evening we sit around the heavily laden coffee table, sip Champagne and eat our appetizers while staking out a good position to wrap gifts with a little bit of privacy. Behind the bar is always a popular spot, which allows someone to be in front of the bar. Another person might be behind the couch and yet another behind the living room chair or over in the open plan dining room, when we have one. We can hear each other, if we talk loudly, but most importantly, everyone can hear the Christmas music. And everyone can take an extra little plate with them as well, for sustenance.

Artichoke Dip Puff Pastry Tarts

I have no idea where the classic artichoke dip recipe came from, although for us, it was always Tanya’s artichoke dip since my sister brought it with her originally. In the years since, I’ve also heard it referred to as Lizann’s dip, after another friend who introduced it to the school parents in Malaysia. I’d love to know who created it in the first place and thank them. Some years we add crabmeat, other years cooked shrimp or crispy bacon before baking the dip to bubbling richness. We usually serve it with crackers or sliced baguette. This year, making it for a completely different event, I had a brainstorm. And artichoke dip puff pastry tarts were born!

Ingredients
For the dip aka filling:
1 cup or 240g mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip or salad cream – they are too sweet.)
1 1/2 cups or about 190g finely grated Parmesan
1 can (14oz or 400g) artichoke hearts, drained weight 8 1/2oz or 240g
1 small hot red chili, optional but highly recommended (I think the original recipe called for a small can of mild green chilies.)

For the tart crust:
3 sheets already rolled puff pastry (about 8in x 8in or 20cm x 20cm each)

Method
Preheat your oven to 410°F or 210°C and cut the puff pastry into 12 reasonably even squares.



Tuck each piece into a muffin pan cup, folding in the edges to make them fit so the squares don’t touch between the muffin cups. Remember, they are going to puff up.




Chop the artichoke hearts roughly and the chili very finely and mix all the filling ingredients together thoroughly.




Spoon the filling into the prepared puff pastry crusts.



Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the filling is golden and bubbling and the puff pastry is golden and puffy.

Food Lust People Love: Artichoke Dip Puff Pastry Tarts are a quick and easy way to transform artichoke dip into little handheld tarts, perfect for parties!



Allow the tarts to cool for about 10 minutes and then run a knife around the outside of the tarts to loosen them and then remove them to a serving plate.

Serve warm if possible but they are delicious even at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Food Lust People Love: Artichoke Dip Puff Pastry Tarts are a quick and easy way to transform artichoke dip into little handheld tarts, perfect for parties!



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Food Lust People Love: Artichoke Dip Puff Pastry Tarts are a quick and easy way to transform artichoke dip into little handheld tarts, perfect for parties!
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15 comments :

  1. I could eat ALL of these. No joke.



    Happy day #3!

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  2. mmmmm these look like heaven!!! I love puff pastry and spinach artichoke dip so DOUBLE YUM!

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  3. They look so easily made and I always need something easier in my life. =D
    I would like to know too who has created this dip, sounds like a perfect Christmas treat.

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  4. I would buy this

    http://www.freundcontainer.com/akro-mils-mobile-rotoshelf/p/1426S18/

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  5. That's pretty cool! I could spend hours on their site looking at the useful things.

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  6. I made them when I was visiting friends in KL and we had a party to go to. I think I ate more of them than anyone else! So good!

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  7. The idea just came to me, Kayle, and I knew I had to try it. SO glad I did!

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  8. It is perfect just on its own too, Helene. Mix the dip ingredients together and bake in an oven proof dish until golden and bubbly. Spread on crackers or bread to eat. Divine!

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  9. I love artichoke dip and we have it as a staple in the fridge lately!! Now I want to run and get it. These look amazing!!

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  10. You mean you can BUY it somewhere, like hummus? I need to move to Canada!

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  11. Yes, I have a major addiction, hubby keeps buying it, I keep eating it!!!

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  12. Okay - I would get the blue Fiji glass bottle just because it's pretty and I could add it to my blue glass collection. These look so good - and I love Artichoke dip so these would be dangerous for me at my house!

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  13. I want to go to your house to wrap presents, Stacy! Brilliant idea and oh, so very elegant noshing food =)

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  14. all the ball mason jars to make mason jar gifts for the holiday!

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