Little Pesto And Cheese Tarts Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6. Unroll the pastry onto a flat baking sheet and, using a sharp knife, score a rectangle two finger-widths from the edge. Fork the pastry all over the inside of the marked edge. Scatter the cheese, olives and tomatoes over the centre of the tart, then season to taste.
• Bake for 20-25 mins until pastry is crisp and risen, tomatoes are soft and the cheese is golden. Drizzle over the pesto and cut the tart into slices to serve. Great with a green salad.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, mayonnaise, cheeses, pesto and pepper. Spoon heaping teaspoonfuls into tart shells. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 8-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Steps:

• If you are making your own pesto, you will need to put the garlic, a pinch of salt (which will help you to squash the garlic), and the basil leaves into either a pestle and mortar or a food processor. Grind or whizz it into a paste. Add the pine nuts and grind again - if you are using a pestle and mortar, you may need to take it in turns with friends or family to help you bash everything, to stop your arm from aching!
• Add the cheese and mix well. Spoon the mixture into a jug or bowl and gradually stir in the olive oil until you have a thick sauce that just drops off your spoon.
• Turn the oven on to 400°F On a flour-dusted worktop, roll out the pastry (unless you are using a sheet) until it's a few millimetres thick.
• Using a saucer or big circular cutter that is 5.5in across, cut 6 circles out of the pastry and rest on 2 baking trays in the fridge for 10 minutes. Once chilled, prick the middle of each pastry circle a few times with a fork.
• Spoon 1 tbsp pesto onto the middle of each pastry circle and spread over evenly, leaving a small border of about 1/2in around the edge. Tear or slice the mozzarella into 6 pieces and put 1 piece on top of each tart. Bake for about 10-12 minutes until the pastry is golden and cooked.

Steps:

• First, make the pastry. Tip the flour into a bowl with 1/ 2 tsp salt. Add the butter and rub in using your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir through the cheese with a cutlery knife. Add the egg yolk, drizzle over 1 tbsp cold water, then use the knife to stir it in until clumps of dough start to form. Tip onto a work surface and bring the dough together with your hands into a smooth ball. Alternatively, you can make the pastry in a food processor. Shape into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 20 mins.
• Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice the sweet potatoes, courgettes and aubergines lengthways as thinly as possible. Brush the aubergine slices with lemon juice as you go to prevent them from turning brown. Put the sweet potato in a bowl with 2 tsp water, cover with cling film and cook in a microwave on high for 2 mins, then remove and leave to cool. Do the same with the courgettes and aubergines, but cook for just 30 secs, then set aside.
• Take the pastry out of the fridge and roll out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Line a 23cm fluted tart tin with the pastry. Trim the sides with a pair of kitchen scissors, leaving an overhang of about 1cm. Chill for another 10 mins. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and put a baking tray on the middle shelf.
• When the pastry is cold and firm, line with baking parchment (scrunch it up first to make it more pliable), then fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins, then remove the beans and parchment and bake for 5 mins more until the pastry is biscuity.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. Put the mascarpone, eggs, pesto, breadcrumbs and Gruyère in a bowl, season and mix well. Remove the pastry case from the oven, trim the sides with a small sharp knife so they're flush with the top of the tin, then spread the filling over the base.
• Reduce oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Drain any liquid from the vegetables, pat dry on kitchen paper, then season them all well. Stack a slice of sweet potato, courgette and aubergine on top of each other then, starting from one end, roll into a spiral. Put in the middle of the tart. Layer up another three vegetable slices, then wrap these around the spiralled veg in the centre. Continue until the tart is full and you have created a rose effect. Sprinkle thyme leaves between the layers and drizzle the tart with oil.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for 40-45 mins until the vegetables are tender and the filling has set. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 mins before removing. Serve warm or cold.

Steps:

• First make the pastry. Tip the flours into a food processor with ½ tsp salt and the diced butter. Pulse until you can't feel any lumps, then tip in the walnuts. Mix the egg yolks with 3 tbsp cold water, then dribble this into the machine while you pulse again until the pastry comes together. Tip the pastry out onto a floured surface, lightly bring it together into a ball, then roll out and line a deep 20-23cm tart tin with overhang. The pastry may crack, but just patch it back together, then cover and chill for 1 hr.
• To make the filling, melt the remaining butter in a large pan, then add the shallots and soften for 10-15 mins, until golden and squishy. Stir in the thyme for 1 min, then remove from the heat. Beat the eggs in a jug with the crème fraîche and cream. Crumble in the cheese and season with pepper and a small amount of salt.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Blind bake the pastry for 20 mins, remove the baking beans and paper, then bake for a further 15-20 mins until golden and sandy. Reduce the oven temp to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Add the cooled onions to the cream mixture and pour into the case. Sit the fig halves on top, cut side up, sprinkle with some more thyme and bake on the middle shelf for 1 hr-1hr 10 mins until the tart is browning and has a slight wobble - the cheese middle will firm up on sitting. Cool for about 15-20 mins, then remove from tin and serve with a green salad.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a small bowl, combine all ingredients except tart shells. Spoon by heaping teaspoonfuls into shells.
• Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 8-12 minutes or until lightly browned.