Quick and Easy Tartine With Truffle Paté & Crispy Shallots

It’s Tartine Tuesday again and here’s a quick and easy tartine with truffle paté and crispy shallots. I love paté and bread, any kind of paté really. But I wanted a smooth and creamy, almost butter-like, paté for this one. Paired with crispy shallots and whole-grain bread I think it’s just perfect.

But what exactly is paté?

Paté is a French term that loosely translated means paste. It’s basically a savory filling of meat that has been baked in a terrine and can be served hot or cold. I always serve it cold. In fact, I don’t I’ve ever had it hot.

Originally, paté was baked in a pastry crust (paté en croute) but today it’s usually served without the pastry crust and for a spread on a fresh baguette.

Common types of paté

There are all kinds of different patés but I put them mostly in two categories; a smooth paté and a coarse textured paté. Smooth paté is usually made from ground poultry, pork, or veal livers and is baked in a bath. It’s often put through a sieve to achieve the super smooth texture. A country paté is usually defined by its coarse texture and liberal seasons which include onions, garlic, spices, and herbs.

Not all patés include meat though. Some are made with vegetables and seasonings although in the U.S. they are difficult to find and not nearly as popular.

Can you eat the thin layer of fat on top of paté?

You can eat the thin layer of fat that comes on top of the paté. But if the fat bothers you, just scrape it off. The fat is added as a protective layer on top of the paté to preserve it and make it last longer.

The ingredients you need

For this recipe, all you need is:

• A loaf of good rustic bread (I used a whole-grain loaf but use your favorite kind)
• Paté from your local store (unless you’re feeling adventurous and making it yourself)
• Shallots
• Olive oil
• Butter

Instructions for making this tartine with truffle paté and crispy shallots

For the shallots:

1. Slice the shallots thinly
2. In a skillet, frying pan, or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat add the olive oil and the shallots. As the shallots begin to sizzle, reduce heat to medium and cook until they become light brown and crispy. Remove from heat. They will continue to cook in the hot oil for a few minutes after removing them from the heat. And be careful not to burn them as they become a little bit bitter. 
3. Set aside

For the tartines:

1. Slice the bread to your desired thickness.
2. Butter and then toast the bread.
3. Spread a layer of paté on the toasted bread.
4. Generously top each tartine with crispy shallots.
5. Serve immediately.

Serving the tartines

Tartines are great by themselves but to make it more of a meal, serve it will a small salad. You can also serve small bites with tartines like olives, cornichons, marinated onions, cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes, apples, marinated bell peppers, or perhaps a cup of soup. A few chips alongside is never a bad thing either.

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like these:

• Caramelized Shallot Pasta
• Caramelized Shallots and Poached Eggs Tartines
• Tuna melt with cornichons tartine
• Goat cheese, ham, peach and thyme tartine
• Ratatouille tartine from Buvette
• Breakfast tartine with salted butter and chocolate

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