Tomato Candies — Bonbons à la tomate


In case you are wondering, “How on earth can she be travelling and still continue to cook and post stories?”, here is the answer. No I am not Wonderwoman (although I always wanted to have bionic eyes like her!) I am not crazy either and stay up all night to produce these stories (I could though because let me tell you, coming back home in France involves a lot of time spent around tables or cooking and eating!). I am just organized! Yes yes, you heard well. I had prepared those stories before I left (and now you think I am crazy).

Yes food obsessed. Too much to say for just one person. Crazy.

In any case, I hope you will enjoy this one. I promise to be back visiting your blogs soon too, when I am back home. In the meantime….

    B : – Tu veux un bonbon?
    P : – Ah oui s’il te plaît, merci!
    P : – Miam, c’est super bon ça! Je peux en avoir un deuxième ?
    B: – Do you want a candy?
    P: – Ah yes please! Thanks!
    P: – Yum, it’s really good! Can I have another one?

Do you think that bonbons are only for kids? And would your children eat those? I mean, these are real candies in case you thought otherwise. I am told that when I was a kid, I used to be Betty Bonbon, in other words I ate a lot of candies! So much so that Madame Boyon who ran the village gas station where I would regularly go to spend every single pocket money centime (penny) I owned against candies, used to nickname me this way. Apparently I would sometimes go along with my brother, and as I was putting my candy collection on the counter with my coins in order to pay, she would tell me softly “Betty, tu n’as pas assez d’argent” (you do not have enough money), to which my brother would respond (so he says since I do not recollect this whatsoever), “ça va Madame Boyon, donnez-lui, je paye!” (It is ok Madame Boyon, give them to her, I am paying). What a sweet relationship between my brother and I you will have to admit.

Why I am pretty skeptical about this story is that beside the fact that I suspect that my brother is exaggerating as to how naughty I was and how heroic he was with me, today I am just not interested in candies at all. Aha! A proof he could just have made this up! I can only eat savoury candies, such as Tomato Candies. Yes candies with un fruit, la tomate. A good way to try to trick your kids into eating candies, don’t you think?

This brilliant idea comes from a chef of course, who else? Inspired by a recipe found in my cookbook, Tentation, I stole this idea which I adored right away, and made those goodies for l’apéritif. The key in this recipe is that once you understand the concept, the possibilities for the fillings are enormous! These amuse-bouches have to be prepared ahead of time for the most part, and are really a delightful finger food to have with a glass of…well something nice.

Count about 3 bonbons per person.

Isn’t it nice? You do no longer need to feel guilty while eating bonbons anymore! The way to go!

Tomato Candies

(For 18 bonbons)


You need:

For the bonbons:

  • Filo pastry
  • 7 oz grated parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil
  • Dried herbes de provence
  • Tomato purée

For the tomato purée:

  • 1 lb + 2 oz tomatoes
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion sliced
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 5 basil leaves
  • 2 Tbsp dried d’herbes de provence
  • 1 Tbsp curry powder
  • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp honey (liquid)
  • Salt and pepper

Steps:

  • Heat some olive oil and when hot, add the chopped onion with the curry and herbs.
  • Cook for 2 or 3 min until adding all other ingredients of the tomato puree.
  • Cook for 10 min or so, until the tomato puree is reduced.
  • Mix in a food processor.
  • Let it cool down and place little amounts in your ice cube trays, to be place in the freezer for 3 hours minimum.
  • Cut 18 sheets of phylo pastry (5″ x 3″ ). In the middle, place a cube of tomato.
  • Close them as if closing a package.
  • Place them on a baking sheet topped with parchment paper sprayed with oil.
  • Pour 2 droplets of oil on each bonbon (package) and with your finger, spread it over the entire bonbon.
  • Sprinkle with grated parmesan and herbs.
  • Place under the broil for 2 to 3 min to brown, on each side.
Le coin français

Bonbons à la tomate

(Pour 18 bonbons)


Ingrédients :

Pour les bonbons

  • Feuilles de filo
  • 200 g de parmesan
  • Huile d’olive
  • herbes de provence séchées
  • Purée de tomates

Pour la purée de tomates

  • 500 g tomates
  • 3 càs d’huile d’olive
  • 1 gros oignon émincé en fines tranches
  • 1 gousse d’ail
  • 5 feuilles de basilic
  • 2 cas d’herbes de provence séchées
  • 1 càs de curry
  • 2 càs de vinaigre de balsamique
  • 2 càs de miel liquide
  • sel et poivre

Étapes :

  • Faites chauffer de l’huile d’olive dans une poêle et lorsqu’elle est chaude, faites-y revenir les oignons émincés avec le curry et les herbes.
  • Cuisez-les pendant 2 ou 3 min avant d’ajouter tous les autres ingrédients de la purée de tomates.
  • Cuisez pendant 10 min jusqu’à ce que la purée de tomates soit réduite.
  • Mixez-la dans un robot électrique.
  • Laissez-la refroidir et répartissez-la dans vos bacs à glacons (pour en faire des cubes). Mettez au congélateur pendant au moins 3 heures.
  • Coupez des feuilles de brick (filo) (18 de la taille de 12 x 9 cm). Placez au milieu un glacon de purée de tomates.
  • Fermez la feuille de brick comme si vous fermiez un paquet.
  • Placez les bonbons sur une plaque de four recouverte de papier sulfurisé graissé.
  • Déposez deux gouttes d’huile sur chaque bonbon et avec votre doigt, répartissez-la sur toute la surface du bonbon.
  • Saupoudrez de parmesan râpé et d’herbes de provence.
  • Placez les bonbons sous le gril pendant 2 à 3 min de chaque côté, pour que les bonbons dorent.
Posted in Appetizers, French Inspired, Vegetarian

16 comments

  1. Bonjour ! Je viens régulièrement sur votre blog que j’apprécie beaucoup. Une question: pourquoi utilisez vous des feuilles filo dans la recette anglaise et des feuilles de brick en francais ?
    merci d’avance et bonne journée

  2. These are too cute, Bea! And I hear you loud and clear about being organised. Have quite a few trips ahead this summer myself, so I’ll probably do the same thing:)

  3. Oh yeah, you’re definitely CRAZY !!! And I’m about to be crazy about your candies, and waiting for your lessons on “how to become a chocolate addict” (but hold the tomato in this case please)!

  4. c’est vraiment trop appétissant mais le coulis de tomates il ne traverse pas les feuilles??

  5. Comme c’est mignon ! Des petits bonbons à la tomate ! Super idée, encore une fois… Et bravo pour l’organisation, j’applaudis :)Non tu n’es pas folle, simplement organisée. Est-ce un crime ?

  6. Hi ,
    I tried with kidney beans,tomato,peas fry(curry in india) and stuffed in fillo sheets.really enjoy the taste.
    Nice post and excellent photos.
    Vineela

  7. Bea, hope that you are having a wonderful visit! If you come to languedoc, let me know, would love to see you!!

    I know the brick and filo answer, because it is so HARD to find filo in France! I now found it at my chinese store and am so happy, though French DH says that he likes bricks better.

    bientôt,
    Riana

  8. Ah … my favourite thing to do on a Sunday morning … read my favourite blog!

    May I have a candy? I know they won’t be bad for my teeth … they’re healthy for me because they have tomato! And they’re so beautiful.

    May I have one … please???

  9. Superbe idée que ce soit avec la feuille de Brick ou la pâte Filo d’ailleurs, sur les photos, il s’agit de pâte Filo, une fois encore Bravo pour tout !

  10. Bonjour Camille,

    Merci de votre mot. C’est un erreur et en fait, ce sont des feuilles filo que j’utilise! Merci de le remarquer!

    Thanks Kat!

    Hi Pille, thanks. I look forward to reading your stories when you are away!

    Framboise, moi? Folle? Ah ben non quand meme! 🙂

    Audrey, non cela ne traverse pas car la cuisson est rapide. Par contre, c’est a manger de suite!

    Merci Liza, dis-le a Framboise que je ne suis pas folle, ahahah!

    Thanks Vineelarishna!

    Merci Alhya et Moony!

    Riana, I would love to, if only I could come down to Languedoc, unfortunately not this time. If I do come, I will def keep in touch!

    Ivonne, thanks my dear. Always such nice notes that you leave; I feel flattered you consider my blog a fav!

    Merci Lemich!

  11. Fabulous recipe.Thanks.I tried it a few times and I love the addition of the cuuy to the tomato sauce…

  12. Yes I must say it. What an astounding idea to put a nice frozen tomato concusse enveloped in pastry, you are truly innovative. I have just begun to go thru’ your site and each rendition is a new discovery. Some creative cook are YOU !