”You have to taste a culture to understand it.”

– Deborah Cater

Parsley pesto mini tarts

Step by step video tutorial

These small pastries made with puff pastry and parsley pesto are great as a vegetarian snack or appetiser. Not only quick to make, but also tasty and healthy.

Serving Size:
16 mini tarts
Time:
Prep time: 30 min
Bake time: 15 min
Difficulty:
Easy

Ingredients

  • 260 g / 9 oz puff pastry
  • 1 medium size tomato or cherry tomatoes
  • 125 g / 4.5 oz soft cheese like mozzarella
  • 1 egg (for egg wash; optional)
Parsley pesto:
  • 20 g / 0.7 oz fresh parsley (as pesto will be baked it is fine also to use frozen parsley)
  • 25 g / 4 tbsp ground almonds
  • 15 g / 1 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

Making parsley pesto
  1. Set the oven to heat to 180° Celsius or 400° Fahrenheit.
  2. Blend together all the ingredients for parsley pesto: parsley, ground almonds, parmesan cheese, garlic clove, lemon juice and salt.
  3. Add olive oil gradually to assess how much is needed. I aim for creamy and smooth pesto, but without too much olive oil.
  4. Taste and add more salt, lemon juice or olive oil if needed.
Assembling mini tarts
  • Insert parchment paper or a silicone baking mat in a baking tray and grease it with a bit of cooking oil.
  • Unroll and flatten the puff pastry. I usually take it out of the fridge a little before cooking so that it softens at room temperature and does not brake when being unrolled.
  • Cut the puff pastry in 16 square pieces.
  • Put the puff pastry squares on the baking tray leaving a little bit of space between them.
  • Break an egg in a glass and whisk it a little.
  • Spread a little bit of egg on each puff pastry piece using a pastry brush.
  • Spread on each square about a teaspoon of parsley pesto leaving the dough sides free as they will puff up while baking.
  • Cut the tomato in thin slices and each slice in half.
  • Arrange the tomato slices on top of the puff pastry pieces.
  • Cut the soft cheese in thin slices and arrange it as well on top of the puff pastry squares already covered with parsley pesto and tomato.
  • Sprinkle a little bit of ground black pepper on top.
  • Bake for 10 – 15 minutes till the sides of the puff pastry have puffed up and lightly browned.
  • Remove the baking tray from the oven, let the mini tarts cool a little and enjoy!