Georgian Cheese Pastries

Rich Georgian cheese pastries are a pastry treat rich which three different cheeses that melt in your mouth. This is a great appetizer and a nice dessert to finish off a meal.  Georgian cuisine in part has been influenced by Middle Eastern and European culinary traditions. Dishes use a lot of various herbs and spices. Mint, parsley and chives add to this tasty pastry.

Ingredients for Pastry:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup plus 2 T unsalted, not melted butter

1/4 cup cold water

Ingredients for Cheese Filling:

1 egg

1 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup mozzarella shredded cheese

3 T parmesan grated cheese

2 T chopped mint

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 T chopped chives

Directions for Pastry:

1. Place flour, cream of tartar, salt, and butter in food processor or blender. Mix until texture is of a coarse meal. Add water.

2. Continue mixing in the blender until combined. Mixture will begin to mass together. Place on plastic wrap, flatten to a disk, and wrap airtight. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and can be refrigerated for 30 days.

3. After dough has been refrigerated, roll it out on a floured surface to 1/8" thickness. Use 3” round cookie cutter and cut out the circle shapes from the dough. Keep rerolling scraps until dough is completely cut out. Pleat edges of circles and fit in bottom of muffin tins.

Directions for Filling:

Beat egg in bowl. Add the three cheeses, mint, parsley, and chives. Mix well.

Reading for baking:

1. Preheat oven at 425'F.

2. Spoon 2 teaspoons filling in each pastry shell; spread level. This can be prepared up to 3 hours ahead of baking time and refrigerated.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the filling is golden brown and the pastry begins to color. Remove from tins and allow cooling on rack. Serve warm. 24 Servings

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