16/07/2018
Pesto Caprese Tarts
Crisp puff pastry topped with the classic Caprese salad ingredients, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil, makes a beautiful light lunch or starter to share.
Serves:
6-8 (Makes 2 tarts)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1/2 cup good quality basil pesto
- 200g tiny cherry tomatoes, halved
- 200g baby or cherry bocconcini
- 1 cup basil leaves
- extra virgin olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper, for sprinkling
Method
Cut one of the puff pastry sheets in half. Join 1 1/2 sheets of pastry together, overlapping slightly, to form a large rectangle. Cut the large rectangle in half lengthwise and place the two lengths on top of each other onto a baking tray. Repeat with another 1 1/2 sheets of pastry to form two long rectangles. Cut the remaining pastry into strips 1cm wide and use to form a border around each pastry rectangle, trimming to fit as necessary. Spread each pastry base with 1 tablespoon pesto and sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Combine tomatoes, bocconcini and basil leaves together and arrange on top of pastry while still warm. Drizzle with extra pesto, thinning with olive oil if needed and serve sprinkled with pepper.
Tips
- Pastry can be assembled ready to cook and kept refrigerated for up to 2 hours beforehand.
- Substitute torn pieces of buffalo mozzarella for bocconcini.
- Add some black kalamata olives for variety.
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