These are perfect for an alfresco summer lunch for friends or even a simple supper for two. It's one of the easiest tarts to make, using a ready rolled sheet of puff pastry topped with your choice of filling.
Take the pastry out of the fridge about an hour before you want to use it. I've divided the pastry sheet into two but you can leave it as one piece or divide into smaller tarts.
Simply unroll the pastry, keeping it on the baking paper supplied. Preheat the oven to 220ºC (200ºC fan) and put a large baking sheet in the oven to get hot. (This will help your tart get a crispy base). Score a 2cm border around the edge of the pastry sheet and prick the middle with a fork. Add your chosen filling up to the edge of the border and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Pesto and tomato
Pesto alla Genovese
3-6 ripe tomatoes - depending on the size of your tomatoes and your tart
Spread a thick layer of basil pesto onto the pastry sheet, up to the edge of the border.
Slice your tomatoes (not too thinly) and lay them overlapping on top of the pesto. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
Caramelised red onion and goat's cheese
40g butter, 2 red onions, chevre goat's cheese, a few sprigs of thyme
Slice the red onions and gently cook them gently in the butter for about 20-30 minutes (they need to caramelise). Allow to cool slightly before piling them onto the pastry, sprinkle over some thyme and top with crumbled or sliced rounds of goat’s cheese.
If you’re not keen on goat’s cheese, you could substitute Camembert, Brie or even cheddar.
Mushroom and Camembert
50g butter, 250g field or chestnut mushrooms (sliced), clove of garlic (grated), a pinch of mixed herbs, a few slices of Camembert
Melt the butter in a small pan (adding a drop of olive oil to stop it burning) and gently fry the sliced mushrooms with the garlic and herbs. When they're soft, pile them onto the pastry sheet and spread to the edge, filling in any gaps with the sliced cheese.
Courgette, feta and mint
2 medium courgettes, 1 egg (beaten), 300ml crème fraîche, 3-4 spring onions, 25g mint, 200g feta cheese
Chop the ends off the courgettes and, using a vegetable peeler, shave ribbons down the length. Stop when you get to the seeds. Put them into a colander over a bowl, sprinkle in a teaspoon of salt and mix together. Now put a plate on top and weigh it down with scale weights (if you have them) or a couple of tins of beans. Leave for about an hour. (This will get rid of any excess water.)
The courgettes can be prepared and salted a few hours beforehand.
Finely slice the spring onions, chop the mint and mix with the crème fraîche, beaten egg and some black pepper. Spread onto the pastry sheet up to the edge of the border. Roughly arrange the courgette ribbons on top, crumble over the feta cheese and finish with a grind of black pepper.
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