For my previous post, I wrote a step by step guide on how to make puff pastry. This resulted in me having a large block of pastry to use, which I am more than happy to do.
This tart has red and yellow peppers, red onion, smoked garlic, mozzarella, green pesto and fresh basil leaves. It’s very easy to put together, the time consuming part is making the puff pastry, so if you are pushed for time, you can always buy ready made pastry.
Pepper and Red Onion Puff Pastry Tart
- 1 quantity of puff pastry. For my “how to” guide to making puff pastry, click here or alternatively buy a pack of ready made pastry, approximately 375g
- 2 peppers (sliced)
- 1 red onion (sliced)
- 2 cloves of smoked garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 mozzarella ball
- green pesto
- a bunch of fresh basil leaves
- 1 egg
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and add the onion. Fry until they colour slightly and are soft. Add the garlic and fry for a couple more minutes. Leave the onion and garlic to cool in a bowl.
Add a little more oil to the frying pan and fry the peppers until softened. Once cooked, remove from the pan and leave to cool.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to the size of your baking tray. Trim the edges so you have a neat rectangle. Transfer the pastry on to a baking tray lined with baking paper. Using a ruler, score a one inch border around the edge of the tart (don’t cut all the way through). Score marks all the way around the border. Using a fork, prick the pastry inside the border.
Now you can start loading up your toppings. I started with a bottom layer of the onion and garlic. Then spread the peppers over the top and finally dotted blobs of mozzarella all over the top. Keep all the ingredients inside the border of the pastry.
Whisk up the egg in a bowl, then using a small pastry brush, brush a thin layer of egg over the pastry border. This will give it a more golden colour once baked. Be careful not to drip the egg down the side, as this could stop the pastry from rising.
Season with salt and pepper and then bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is risen and golden. Leave to cool on a wire rack. Add a few teaspoons of the green pesto randomly over the top and finish with some fresh basil leaves.
I served the tart hot with a simple rocket leaf salad and some vine tomatoes.
