Serve these superbly easy and rustic tartlets with a leafy salad for a light vegetarian meal.  For extra crunch, scatter some chopped pecans or almond slivers on top of the goat’s cheese before baking. 

Makes about 10 tartlets

Ingredients:

  • 375g ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry
  • 1 medium egg, lightly beaten
  • 125g rindless soft goat’s cheese
  • 2 tbsp The Spice Tailor Green Papaya Chutni, plus extra to serve
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 100g cocktail beetroot, cut into small wedges
  • 120g rind-on goat’s cheese, sliced
  • 1 tsp nigella seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp black mustard seeds

Method:

  • Unroll the puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface.
  • Use a flour-dusted 9cm pastry cutter to stamp out neat discs. 
  • Place the pastry discs on two large baking sheets, preferably lined with a silicone mat. 
  • Brush a little beaten egg over each pastry disc to glaze, then put the baking sheets into the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to allow the pastry to firm up.
  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. 
  • Put the soft goat’s cheese and papaya chutni in a bowl with a little salt and pepper to taste and beat until well combined. 
  • Remove the baking trays from the fridge.  Neatly spread a teaspoonful of the goat’s cheese mixture in the middle of each pastry disc, leaving a small border around the pastry. 
  • Arrange a few beetroot wedges on each tart, then top with a slice of firm goat’s cheese. 
  • Mix the nigella seeds, cumin seeds and mustard seeds together in a small bowl and sprinkle a little of this spice mixture on top of the goat’s cheese. 
  • Bake the tartlets for 20-25 minutes until the pastries are golden brown and crisp.  (Check underneath the pastries to make sure that the base is golden brown before you remove them from the oven). 
  • Leave to cool slightly and serve while still warm or at room temperature. 
  • Tip: If you wish, spoon a little papaya chutni from the jar on top of the goat’s cheese to glaze it. 

To find out more about The Spice Tailor range please visit www.thespicetailor.com