How to Make A Fig & Gorgonzola Tart

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We all know by now that President Obama is quite the foodie. He took his wife to Spiaggia for their anniversary; he dined with Oprah at Graham Elliot for his 50th birthday, and he loves the food at Topolobampo so much, he asked Rick Bayless to cook a State Dinner when the Mexican president was at the White House. So if Obama decides to eat at The Fig & Olive when he’s in L.A., I figured it must be noteworthy, right? Apparently, POTUS tried the restaurant’s signature tart and loved it. The restaurant was kind enough to share not only the recipe, but the process as well.

 

Fig & Gorgonzola Tartlet

Courtesy of Executive Chef Pascal Lorange, FIG & OLIVE

 

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Serves 4 people

 

Ingredients:

1 sheet             Fine puff pastry (available at your local supermarket or bakery)

1 bunch           Scallions

4                       Heirloom tomatoes

8                       Fresh Figs (if not available, you can substitute dried white figs)

8 oz.                Gorgonzola

2 oz.                Chopped Walnuts

1 tsp                 Sea Salt

1 tsp                 Pepper

2 Tbsp            Olive Oil

1                       Fresh Rosemary Sprig, to garnish

2 slices           Prosciutto di Parma, to garnish (can omit for vegetarian diners)

¼ cup             Arugula Greens

1 tsp                 Fig balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp             Extra virgin olive oil (preferably arbequina olive oil)

 

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

     

  2. Roll out puff pastry sheet until you are able to cut four 6-inch circles out of it

     

  3. Place the circles on a well-greased baking sheet

     

  4. Dice the scallions to yield ½ cup and sprinkle evenly over pastry circles

     

  5. Cut tomatoes into wedges and arrange evenly around the tart

     

  6. Place cut figs wedges (one fig can be cut into 2 or 3 wedges) evenly between the tomatoes

     

  7. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts, salt, pepper, and gorgonzola cheese evenly over each tart

     

  8. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over each tart before baking

     

  9. Bake for 15 minutes or until tart has a golden brown crust and melted cheese

     

  10. Once it comes out of the oven, dress arugula greens with fig balsamic, then arrange greens in a neat mound around the tart

     

  11. Cover the mound of Arugula with a layer of prosciutto, leaving a space in the center

     

  12. Serve immediately, or let cool on a rack to preserve the delicate, flaky crust; garnish with rosemary