Ham and Cheese Breakfast Tarts

When you need a warm and filling breakfast in a flash, these ham and cheese breakfast tarts are the perfect little portable meals. 

I was a cereal and milk, yogurt and fruit, and Pop-Tarts kind of girl during college. Breakfast was as simple as possible. Use of the toaster was the extent of my morning cooking. I didn’t have the time, nor wanted to make the effort to make anything better.

I should have been making these ham and cheese breakfast tarts on the weekends. They’re simple and easy to make. Best of all, they freeze well. I could have made a batch on Sunday and had enough breakfasts to last me through the week.

Everything always seems easier in retrospect.

I know better. I have a batch of these breakfast tarts in the freezer.

These savory hand tarts were inspired by this jam-filled breakfast tart. I’m sharing the recipe for these ham and cheese version over at BHG’s Delish Dish Blog.

These tarts use a butter based dough. Unlike most doughs I normally work with, this dough doesn’t require much chilling/resting time. They dough is very sturdy and easy to work with. It doesn’t shrink or tear easily, too.

While I filled my tarts with cheddar cheese and ham, you’re open to all sorts of combinations. Think mozzarella and pepperoni, Swiss and turkey, spinach and tomato, etc.

These smell amazing fresh from the oven. The buttery, flakey crust with the melted cheese, and warm ham- it’s the perfect way to start Monday morning.

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Tarts

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When you need a warm and filling breakfast in a flash, these ham and cheese breakfast tarts are the perfect little portable meals. 

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes minutes

Dough Chill Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 38 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 hand tarts

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Ingredients

Pastry:

• ▢ 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour (228 g)
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar (12 g)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ¾ cup unsalted butter, (170 g) cold, cut into tablespoons
• ▢ 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• ▢ 2 Tablespoon whole milk

Filling:

• ▢ 6 slices deli ham
• ▢ 6 slices cheddar cheese
• ▢ additional whole milk, to brush tarts

Instructions

 

Pastry:

• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse sand. Mix in egg and milk. Mix until smooth dough forms. 
• Divide into two equal parts. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for an hour, up to overnight.

Assembly:

• Preheat oven to 375℉. Working on a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 9x8-inch rectangle. Cut in half to form two 9x4-inch rectangles. Cut each into thirds crosswise to form three 4x3-inch rectangles. Repeat with second dough.
• Place a piece of cheese and ham on six rectangles, leaving a small border along the edges. Moisten edges with milk. Top with remaining rectangles. Press edges with fork to seal.
• Place assembled tarts on parchment lined baking sheet. Brush tops with additional milk. Dock with fork. Sprinkle with additional cheese, if desired.
• Bake for 17-20 minutes until tarts are golden brown. Let cool in pan for 2-5 minutes and then transfer to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Nutrition

Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 655mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 933IU | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 2mg

Author: Maryanne Cabrera

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

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