Upside Down Tomato Pesto Tarts

By Sheridan 13 December, 2020

These light savoury tarts are just the thing for Christmas entertaining, combining the red and green colours of the season and the tastes of summer. Even better, they're easy to make.

Prep Time : 20 - 25 minutes
Cook Time : 2h 30 min
Yield : 20 - 24

Ingredients

ripe Roma tomatoes - 12 large, washed and cut into 1.5cm rounds
unsalted butter - 50g, melted
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
sugar
basil pesto, preferably homemade - 20- 24 large teaspoons
frozen puff pastry sheets - 2
Basil Pesto
fresh basil leaves - 60g, washed and dried
garlic - 2 cloves, peeled and chopped
flat leaf parsley - 30g
toasted pine nuts - 2 - 3 tablespoons
freshly grated parmesan - 3/4 cup, grated
extra virgin olive oil - 125ml (1/2 cup)
salt - optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to very low (100C/80C fan-forced).
Place the cut tomatoes on a cake rack over an oven tray lined with baking paper. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and a little sugar. Bake in preheated oven for 2 - 3 hours or until slightly dried out.
Brush each hole of 2 x small patty tins generously with the melted butter. Place a roasted tomato round in each hole. Some of the tomatoes might not be big enough, so use two smaller ones. Top each one with a teaspoon of basil pesto, then cover with a round of pastry, using a pastry cutter slightly larger than the hole.
Turn oven heat up to 200C (180C fan-forced).
Cover with a sheet of baking paper and a tray. Place in preheated oven. Bake 12 minutes. Remove the tray and baking paper and allow the pastry to brown for 5 - 6 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully tip out of patty tins. Best served warm.

For the Basil Pesto: Process the basil, garlic, parsley, pine nuts and parmesan to a paste in a food processor or blender. Gradually drizzle in the olive oil until smooth. Taste and add a little salt if needed.