Making vegetarian tartlets is surprisingly easy and quick if you use frozen ingredients. Just using ready-made pastry will cut your work in half. You can mix fresh with frozen or canned vegetables. These savory tartlets are perfect finger food kids love. They also make great buffet food for stand up parties and pot lucks. You can make large batches and freeze the tartlets for quick dinner ideas, snacks or lunch at the office. They can go from freezer to oven and be ready in about 20 minutes. Keep in mind that you cannot re-freeze ingredients that have been previously thawed. This recipe makes about 4-5 tartlets.
Recipe for Veggie Tartlets
Ingredients:
- About 300 grams of store-bought flaky (or puff) pastry
- One fresh Italian mozzarella (about 150 grams), chopped
- 2 roasted bell peppers (or use frozen stir-fry bell peppers that are already cut)
- 2 medium-sized zucchini, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup frozen broccoli bits
- all purpose flour for dusting
- extra virgin olive oil
- Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padana
- 1/2 cup finely chopped olives and capers
- mixed Mediterranean herbs such as basil, rosemary and oregano, finely chopped
- freshly ground black pepper
Directions fot the Pastry
Preheat oven to 180 C or 350 F.
Dust flower on a clean surface. If the store-bought pastry is rolled up carefully unroll it onto the surface. If it's in a solid block use a rolling pin to roll out the pastry. Cut out squares measuring about 20cm x 20cm, they should not be too thin. Place each pastry square on a baking pan or tray previously brushed with olive oil. Brush a bit of olive oil on each square.
The veggie filling
In a large bowl add tomatoes (drained of their liquid), peas, bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini, herbs, chopped olives and capers, a sprinkling of pepper, grate about 3 tablespoonfuls of the Parmigiano or Grana cheese on the vegetable mixture, drizzle a little olive oil and mix everything together.
Putting tartlets together
Use about 1 1/2 tablespoon (depending on the size of your tartlet) to spoon out the veggie filling and place a small amount on top of each tart, leaving about 1 cm free on each side . On each tart put a few small pieces of mozzarella and gently fold inward all sides of each tart. This will keep the filling from spilling out during baking.
Bake the tartlets in a hot oven for about 15-20 minutes. Tartlets are ready when the cheese is bubbling and they have a golden appearance.
Substitutions
If you don't like any of the veggies in this recipe you can make your own veggie combination. Try asparagus, artichoke hearts, cauliflower, spinach, eggplant, carrots, onions, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms. You can also add a teaspoon of savory pesto, tomato sauce or salsa alle noci on each tart before you pile on the veggies. You can also substitute the puff pastry with ready made pizza dough.
Giovanna De Gennaro - Giovanna is a Canadian citizen who has travelled and worked abroad. She speaks four languages and has worked as an EFL teacher in Italy. ...
Join the Conversation