Pesto Recipe – Tomato Tarts or Tartlets with Pesto, Italian Recipes from Genoa Italy

These pesto & tomato tartlets are an ideal boating cocktail canapé and are almost as easy to make as they are to eat.

Fresh pesto can be stored frozen (without the cheese).  It will also keep well for a few days in the fridge (with cheese) provided it is stored in an airtight container (preferably a dark one) with from extra virgin olive oil on top.

This recipe makes 40 tartlets. However, there will be pesto left over to use a condiment, dip, or pasta sauce.

Pesto

INGREDIENTS:

180g basil leaves

3 cloves of garlic

150ml extra virgin olive oil (more if you like)

150g finely grated parmesan cheese – Grana Padano is fine but Romano works well too.

50g pine nuts

squeeze of lemon juice (or lime juice)

salt & pepper to taste

METHOD:

1.  Place all the ingrediens in a food processor and pulse until well combined.

Tomato Tartlets

INGREDIENTS:

375g puff pastry

40 cherry tomatoes

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 220°C.

2. Using a 4cm diametre cookie cutter, cut 40 discs out of the puff pastry and arrange on a baking try lined with non-stick baking paper

3. Prick the bases with a fork a few times to help them cook evenly

4. Cut the cherry tomatoes into slices, allowing for 3 or 4 slices per tart.

5. Arrange the slices like a flower petals (rosette) then bake in the ove for around 10 minutes or until pastry is golden and crisp.

6. Take out the tarts allow to cool slightly ( the tomatoes get quite hot due to their high water content)

7. Top with a little pesto and serve with a glass of Prosecco, Champagne or Sparkling Wine onboard your boat your yacht.

Recipe by – The Cabin Fever Cook™