Herbed Brie and Walnut Tart

Cooking With Rania - "Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipe"
KDKA Pittsburgh Today Live 11/14/2012

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Herbed Brie and Walnut Tart

INGREDIENTS

Pastry Crust
1-3/4 cups pastry flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1stick) unsalted butter, well chilled, cut into 16 equal pieces
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening, well chilled, cut into small pieces
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Filling
14 ounces Brie, well chilled
14 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 eggs
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (plus more for the top, if desired)
1 teaspoon finely ground dried rosemary
Salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

To make the crust, put the flour, salt, and butter in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse 10 times. Add the shortening and pulse 10 more times. With the machine running, pour in 4 tablespoons of ice water through the feed tube and immediately turn the machine off. Transfer the contents to a flat work surface and quickly form the dough into a round. If the dough is too dry, add the additional tablespoon of ice water drop by drop. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour or more.

Roll out the dough and use it to line a 12-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Prick the bottom with a fork. Freeze for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the pan from the freezer, line it with aluminum foil, fill with pie weights or beans, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes (removing the foil and weights halfway through the baking time), until golden brown. Let cool.

To make the filling, remove the crust from the Brie with a sharp knife moistened with water. Bring the Brie to room temperature. Combine well with the cream cheese in a mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, and blend well. Stir in the walnuts, dried rosemary, salt, and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Fill the chilled pastry shell with the cheese mixture, sprinkle with additional walnuts, if desired, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if the nuts become too brown. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with fresh rosemary and cut into thin wedges.

Makes one 12-inch tart.