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Sweet potatoes are a staple during this time of year, but admittedly, I don’t use them as often as I would like to. While easy enough to prepare on their own, if I’m cooking multiple dishes for a good number of people, it becomes quite laborious to peel, slice and cook sweet potatoes so that they are ready to use in dishes. But the effort is worth the result since sweet potatoes are packed full of nutrients including Vitamin A (beta-carotene), Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, B2, and B6, Potassium, and fiber. I’ve primarily used sweet potatoes for fries but I’m not a fan of iconic holiday dishes like sweet potato pie or candied sweet potatoes so I decided to create an easy savory appetizer.
Like many root vegetables, sweet potatoes can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. With just a few ingredients, including goat cheese (my favorite cheese!), I whipped up a batch of decadent Herbed Goat Cheese and Sweet Potato Tarts in less than one hour, thanks to my latest find, Princella Sweet Potatoes. Sager Creek Vegetable Company picks and packs these sweet potatoes, grown in the Mississippi Delta and North Carolina, within a few hours. Through the canning process, these sweet potatoes retain all of their vitamins and minerals without the use of preservatives, which means they are nutritionally equivalent to their fresh counterparts. These canned sweet potatoes can be found under the names of Princella or Sugary Sam in the canned vegetable aisle and available for less than $1 per can.
Since this dish is savory, I drained the sweet potatoes (they are packed in a light syrup) and gave them a quick rinse. Sweet potatoes naturally have a sweet taste to them, but incorporating them with herbs and some salt/pepper helps to bring out their savory flavors. To simplify the process, I also picked up a package of Phyllo Dough to create these tarts. After baking them, I served them as a precursor to one of our evening meals and the entire batch of 12 was gone almost immediately.
Here is my recipe for Herbed Goat Cheese and Sweet Potato Tarts!
- 1 15- ounce can Princella Cut Sweet Potatoes drained and rinsed
- 1 egg slightly beaten
- 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons goat cheese
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp rosemary
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- 30 Sheets of Phyllo Dough thawed
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Preheat oven to 350ºF
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In a medium bowl, combine sweet potato, egg, butter, goat cheese, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper
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Coat a muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray (I use Olive Oil)
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Layer 5 phyllo sheets
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Cut 2 5-inch circles from this stack of 5
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Place layered phyllo circles into a muffin cup, ensuring that the phyllo is pressed firmly against the bottom and the sides
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Repeat with remaining phyllo dough to create a total of 12 shells
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Fill each shell with sweet potato mixture (do not overfill shells)
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Bake at 350ºF for 20-25 minutes, or until phyllo is golden brown
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Allow to cool before carefully removing each tart from the muffin pan
I absolutely loved how these tarts turned out and the process was quick and easy thanks to some prep beforehand and a few ready-made ingredients. While the sweet potato mixture doesn’t take long to prepare, you could easily make it in batches the night before and refrigerate it until you’re ready to fill your phyllo shells.
Tips on working with phyllo dough:
Because phyllo dough can be challenging to work with, I always prefer to use store-bought varieties (maybe perfecting the art of phyllo dough can be one of my 2015 culinary resolutions!). Here are some tips you’ll want to remember to ensure your pastries and tarts look and taste great every single time.
1. Phyllo dough dries out quickly, making it more likely to tear while you are working with it. Wait to unwrap the dough until all of your ingredients are prepped and ready.
2. You’ll most likely find ready-made phyllo dough in the freezer section of your local Walmart. Thaw it in the refrigerator the night before you plan to use it as opposed to on your kitchen counter that same day as you’ll likely notice a more even thaw.
3. Once you’ve unrolled your phyllo dough, cover it with a plastic wrap and a damp cloth to keep the dough from drying out.
4. Work quickly! This means you’ll need to know exactly what you’re doing with your recipe before you begin.
5. Brush each sheet of phyllo dough with olive oil as you are working to prevent the dough from drying out.
For additional Sweet Potato Recipes you can make easily this Holiday season, check out these inspired creations from my fellow Walmart Moms.
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