Brie-Leek Tartlets

Spring break for the kids. We did the aquarium Wednesday and the science museum Thursday and the beach at Wollaston Friday — too cold to swim, perfect for shells. The kids filled their jacket pockets. I have shells now in two coat pockets and one shoe.

Clinic Monday and Tuesday: a normal start to the week. A teenager with anxiety came in with her mother. The mother wanted me to fix it. I told the mother medication can help and therapy can help and time can help and there is no fixing. The teenager wrote down my number on a napkin. I told her to call any time. She might.

Group Tuesday. Bernadette had us share a place we go when we need to feel held. I said the burned pancake plate. People laughed and then nobody laughed. Henry said the bench at Castle Island where his wife liked to read. Lila said her mother's kitchen.

Wednesday Kettle. Sixteen quarts. New high. The parish kitchen is buzzing. Joan and Arnie ran the prep and I cooked. Father Murphy came down at seven and watched from the doorway and said the kingdom of God is full of soup.

Liam's eighth birthday is in May — six weeks. He has started planning the party. He wants Aidan and a kid from school named Tucker and Sean III, even though Sean III is three. He wants a baseball cake. I will make a baseball cake. Or buy a baseball cake. I have not decided.

Nora went to Priya's house Saturday afternoon for a playdate. Priya's mother — a woman named Anjali who teaches at BU — sent me a text saying our daughters are obsessed with each other and is that ok. I wrote back yes more than ok. Nora came home with a small bracelet Priya had made her out of plastic beads. She has not taken it off.

Saturday pancakes. Burned the first.

Sunday dinner at Ma's. Pot roast. Standard.

Food of the week: Ma's pot roast. The shells are in the kitchen jar.

Sunday dinner at Ma’s is a given — pot roast on the table, everyone in their usual seats, nobody asking if you’re okay because they already know. I always show up empty-handed and she always feeds me anyway, which is the whole thing, really. But after a week of the clinic and the kettle kitchen and the birthday planning and the shells in my shoe, I keep thinking about what I’d bring if I actually planned ahead — something warm and a little fussy, something that says I was paying attention. These Brie-Leek Tartlets feel right for that: small enough to share before the main course, rich enough to matter.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes | Servings: 12 tartlets

Ingredients

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, halved and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream
4 oz Brie, rind removed, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin or set out 12 individual tartlet pans on a baking sheet.
Caramelize the leeks. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes until soft and golden. Add garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Cut the pastry. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 12 circles roughly 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Press each circle gently into the prepared muffin cups, pressing up the sides to form a shallow shell.
Make the custard. Whisk together eggs and heavy cream in a small bowl until smooth.
Fill the tartlets. Divide the leek mixture evenly among the pastry shells. Tuck 2–3 small pieces of Brie into each one. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the egg-cream mixture over each tartlet.
Bake. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the custard is just set and the pastry is golden at the edges. If using a muffin tin, let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing.
Garnish and serve. Scatter fresh chives over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition (per serving)

Brie-Leek Tartlets — Something Worth Bringing to Ma’s Next Sunday