Description
These savoury tarts, called Forminhas are a Goan appetizer perfect for any occasion. This tart crust recipe is traditionally filled with mixed vegetables and mayo, but you can always be creative with the fillings. This is going to be your favourite tart crust recipe!
Ingredients (Makes 24 Forminhas)
For the Forminha Dough
- 250 grams All-Purpose Flour
- ½ tsp Salt
- 47 grams Pure Ghee/Butter (45 grams melted, 2 grams -½ tsp solid)
- ½ cup Water
For the Vegetable Salad Filling
- ½ cup Carrots (chopped into small cubes)
- ½ cup Green Peas
- ½ cup Green Beans (chopped into small pieces)
- ½ cup Potatoes (chopped into small cubes)
- ½ cup Apple (chopped into small cubes)
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Mustard
- ½ tsp White Pepper
- Salt to taste
Method
For the Forminhas
- In a medium-size bowl, add the flour and the salt. Give it a whisk so that the salt mixes well with the flour.
- Add the melted ghee and work it into the flour till the flour forms a crumbly texture.
- Now add a little water at a time and bring it together to form a dough.
- Add the solid ghee and knead the dough till it turns soft.
- Once the dough is nice and soft, form it into a ball, cover it with plastic wrap and leave it to rest for about 15-20 minutes.
- Divide the dough into two portions. Cover one portion, and roll out the other portion till it’s not too thin.
- Using a cookie cutter, (88 mm diameter) cut out circles
- Place each circle of dough into a tartlet form and gently press the dough into the form. Cut off any excess dough that may come above the tartlet form. Use a fork and press holes in the bottom of the dough to release any excess air.
- Now place a second tartlet form and repeat the process. After completing three tartlets, place an empty tartlet form on the top. Now tie all four tartlets together with a kitchen string. Continue the process till you finish the dough.
- In a pot halfway with vegetable oil. Heat the oil on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, deep fry the tied up tartlet forms in batches of three or four depending on the size of the pot. Keep frying till the edges of the dough turn a light golden brown.
- Remove the tartlets from the oil and place them on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, snip off the string and separate the tartlet forms from the forminhas.
- The forminhas are now ready to be filled with your favourite filling. If you want to use them later, store them in an airtight container.
For the Vegetable Salad Filling
- In a pot of boiling water, cook the potatoes, peas, beans and carrots. Add salt to taste and give it a stir.
- Once cooked, drain the water and allow the veggies to cool completely.
- Squeeze some lemon juice on the apple pieces to prevent them from losing colour.
- To the bowl of the cooled vegetables, add the apple and toss in the mayonnaise and pepper.
- Give it a gentle mix making sure all the vegetables and the apple get well coated with the mayonnaise.
- Fill each Forminha with about two teaspoons full of the vegetable salad and garnish with your favourite garnish.
