More Diet Food for the French-Leek Tartlets

Savoury Leek Tartlets – a great appetizer

This is a case where buying the frozen mini-tart tins lined in pastry will probably keep you from going insane. Just place them on a cookie sheet, fill them with the leek mixture (below)and pop them in the oven. If you make the pastry that is supposed to be used with these tarts, you will first have to obtain/buy mini-muffin tins. Then, after baking the tartlets in the mini-muffin tins, you will have to try to remove them from the mini-muffin tins. If that doesn't work, you will have to give your guests spoons so they can all stand around the mini-muffin tin and dig in.

Pastry: 1 cup all-purpose flour
4 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. butter (1/4 pound)

Process ingredients in a food processor or with an electric mixer. Roll into a ball, place in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Filling: 3 T. Butter
2 leeks, washed and chopped (the white and light green bits only)
¾ cup heavy cream (also called whipping cream)
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 º F.
Melt the butter; add the leeks and sauté until softened. Add the cream and cook on a medium heat until thickened, although not until gluey. Pat pastry into small muffin tins. Fill with the leek mixture and bake for 15 minutes. These tarts can be re-warmed before serving. Mushrooms can be substituted for leeks, as can zucchinis apparently, although I would advise against using them.