Corn Tarts with Tomatoes, Bacon, and Goat Cheese

     Did you think I dropped off the face of the earth?  I feel like I've been gone forever... but I accomplished a lot during my hiatus.  Painting project done.  Out-of-town guests have come and gone.  Raised beds built and vegetable garden planted (sort of).  We're one day out from the completion of our 12-foot harvest table for the patio -- it will be my next post!  But most importantly, my daughter has safely arrived in Paris for the summer.  With all of these checked off my list, I am now more than ready to spend many hours in my garden and kitchen, creating al fresco meals during the upcoming months. 

     Since there is nothing I would rather make in my kitchen than tarts, today I decided on Corn Tarts with Tomatoes, Bacon, and Goat Cheese.  These tarts were our dinner with a salad of greens, toasted walnuts, diced cherries, and a balsamic vinaigrette.  And I just may have to make these again for a breakfast or lunch on the patio.  Loved them!

         
     Corn Tarts with Tomatoes, Bacon, and Goat Cheese

Makes six 3 3/4-inch tarts

CRUST:
• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter, cubed
• 3 tablespoons ice water
FILLING:
• 3 strips apple-smoked bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 4 ears of corn, kernels cut from the cob
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 large, organic eggs
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 3 green onions, the white and some green finely sliced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4 to 5 Campari tomatoes cut into small wedges, or use large cherry tomatoes

TO MAKE THE CRUST:
1.  Combine flour, cornmeal, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse very briefly to combine.  Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse until the size of small peas.  Slowly add the ice water while pulsing.  Stop when the dough just starts to come together.
2.  Transfer the tart dough mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap.  Press the dough into a disk and wrap completely in the plastic.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 
3.  Remove tart dough from the refrigerator.  Divide dough into 6 pieces.  Roll each piece between a lightly-floured sheet of waxed paper and plastic wrap to a 1/8-inch thickness.  Transfer rolled dough to tart pan and trim edges.  Place in freezer.  Repeat with remaining dough.  You can use one large tart pan (approximately 10 1/2-inches) instead of 6 individual pans.
4.  Preheat oven to 400˚F.  Line tart shells with foil and fill with dried beans or rice.  Place tart pans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake on the middle rack of oven for 18 minutes.  Remove foil and beans/or rice and return tart shells to oven.  Continue to bake until shells are a light golden. Remove from oven.  Reduce the oven temperature to 375˚F. 

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
1.  Brown the bacon in a large skillet.  Transfer to paper towels to drain when done.  Pour off the bacon fat, leaving a film of fat in the skillet.  Add the corn kernels and cook over medium-low heat until just beginning to brown.  Remove from heat and reserve.
2.  Break the goat cheese into small pieces and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.
3.  In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, milk, and green onions.  Season with salt and pepper. 
4.  Divide the goat cheese evenly between the six tart shells, followed by the corn kernels.  Slowly pour the egg mixture over the tarts, filling just below the rims.  Place the tomato wedges in a spoke pattern in the center of each tart.
5.  Place the filled tart shells on rimmed baking sheet in the center of the 375˚F oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes, until custard has set and tomatoes are starting to shrivel.
6.  Remove from oven and garnish each tart with a sprig of fresh thyme.  Eat either warm from the oven, or at room temperature.

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