Rustic tartines with avocado, spinach, and smoked salmon
Rustic Tartlets with Avocado, Spinach, and Smoked Salmon
On weekends, I usually make something quick that looks good on the platter and doesn't keep the kitchen busy for too long. I've prepared these mini-tartlets and rustic cups with avocado, spinach, and smoked salmon many times—whether I have guests or just crave a snack that's a bit out of the ordinary. The crust is easy to make, and the cream with cheese, spinach, and avocado doesn't require much effort. I love that I can make them both as mini-tartlets and as cups using the back of muffin tins, especially if I want a slightly different presentation.
Quick Info
Total time: approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes
Preparation time: 25-30 minutes
Baking time: 15-20 minutes
Servings: 12 mini-tartlets or cups
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe type: cold appetizer, brunch, snack for festive platters
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 200 g cold butter
- 230 g flour
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons water
- a pinch of salt
- a pinch of turmeric
- a pinch of oregano
For the cream:
- 1 small box of cream cheese (like Philadelphia)
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (10% fat)
- 75 g baby spinach
- 1 small onion
- 1 avocado
- juice from a quarter of a lemon
- 200 g smoked salmon
- 30 g butter
- a pinch of fresh dill
- salt to taste
Instructions
1. Prepare the crust. Take the cold butter out of the fridge and grate it directly into a large bowl. Add the flour, egg, the two tablespoons of water, salt, turmeric, and oregano. Quickly mix all the ingredients by hand just until the dough comes together. Don’t over-knead; it should be a fairly soft dough. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. While the dough is chilling, prepare the cream. Wash the baby spinach leaves well and drain them. Chop them in a food processor or blender until fine. Add the butter and avocado (which should be drizzled with lemon juice and drained to prevent oxidation), and blend briefly again. Then add half of the small onion (cut into large pieces for the blender to chop) and the cream cheese. Blend until everything is creamy. Finally, add the yogurt and blend once more. If using a regular blender, you may need to scrape down the sides with a spatula between blends to achieve a smooth cream.
3. Remove the mixture from the blender and place it in a bowl. Add the finely chopped dill and the remaining finely chopped onion. Mix with a spoon. Taste and adjust the salt at the end. Place the bowl of cream in the fridge until you bake the crust.
4. After the chilling time is up, take the dough out. Divide it into 12 pieces, about the size of a ping-pong ball. Take each piece, place it on a cutting board, and cover it with plastic wrap. Flatten each piece with the palm of your hand or your fingers until it reaches the diameter of the mold used. They don’t need to be perfectly round; no rolling pin is necessary.
5. If using muffin tins, grease them with a little butter. For 6 of the pieces, place them inside the molds and gently shape them with your hand along the sides to create mini-tartlets. For the remaining pieces, flatten them and place them on the back of the molds to create inverted cups. In both cases, the edges don’t have to be even; rustic looks better.
6. Place the molds in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F). Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and slightly crispy. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely before filling with cream.
7. Once the crusts have cooled, fill each mini-tartlet or cup with the cream cheese, avocado, and spinach mixture using a spoon or a piping bag for a neater look.
8. Cut the smoked salmon into suitable pieces and place on top of each tart/cup. Finally, garnish with baby spinach leaves.
9. If you like, you can fill one of the cups with sautéed mushrooms in butter, with dill and parsley.
Why I Make This Recipe Often
It’s quick to prepare, the crust is hassle-free, and the cream works well for all kinds of appetizers. I love it because it has simple, fresh ingredients, and the taste is balanced between salty, tangy, and creamy. It keeps well for a few hours, making it suitable for festive table platters or picnics.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- The butter should be very cold for the crust to be flaky.
- For the cream, make sure to squeeze the spinach well after washing; otherwise, the mixture will be too wet.
- If you don’t have a food processor, you can finely chop the spinach with a knife and mash the avocado with a fork.
- It’s best to use a richer Greek yogurt so that the cream doesn’t become too thin.
Substitutions
- You can use another type of cream cheese if you don’t have Philadelphia.
- If you don’t have turmeric or oregano, you can omit them, but the crust won’t have the subtle herbal flavor or color.
- Smoked salmon can be replaced with smoked trout or even slices of prosciutto.
Variations
- Instead of mini-tartlets, you can bake the dough as flat discs and use them as bases for open-faced sandwiches.
- For a fresher taste, you can add finely chopped green onions to the cream.
- You can use only cups or only mini-tartlets, depending on your preference.
Serving Ideas
- They are great as a cold appetizer for any festive meal.
- They can be served at brunch or picnics.
- They can be arranged on platters with other cold appetizers, alongside deviled eggs or raw vegetables.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I make the crust dough a day in advance?
Yes, you can prepare the dough in the evening and keep it in the fridge, well wrapped in plastic. Take it out 10-15 minutes before shaping.
2. How long in advance can I fill the tartlets with cream?
Ideally, fill them no more than 2-3 hours before serving. If left too long, the crust may become slightly wet from the cream.
3. What can I use instead of smoked salmon if I can't find it?
You can use smoked trout or, for a fish-free option, you can add strips of roasted bell pepper or sautéed mushrooms.
4. What do I do if I don’t have muffin tins?
You can roll out the dough and cut out discs with a glass to bake simply on a tray, without molds, as small flat tarts.
5. Can I make the cream without a food processor or blender?
Yes, if you finely chop the spinach and mash the avocado well with a fork, then mix all the ingredients manually.
Nutritional Values (estimated per tart/cup)
Calories: 190-220 kcal
Protein: 6-7 g
Fat: 14-16 g
Carbohydrates: 10-12 g
Values may vary depending on the size of the tart and the type of cream cheese or yogurt used.
Storage and Reheating
These tartlets keep well in the fridge for 6-8 hours after assembly, but the crust becomes softer if left too long. I recommend filling the tartlets close to serving time. They are not suitable for reheating and should be served cold or at room temperature. The baked crust, without cream, can be stored in a sealed container for up to 2 days. The cream can be kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours, separately.
Ingredients: Base: 200 g butter, 230 g flour, 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons water, a pinch of salt, a pinch of turmeric, a pinch of oregano. Cream: 1 small box of Philadelphia cream cheese, 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (10%), 75 g baby spinach, 1 small onion, 1 avocado, juice from a quarter of a lemon, 200 g smoked salmon, 30 g butter, a pinch of dill, salt to taste.
