Summer Caprese tarts
Ingredients
- 3 sheets filo pastry
- 50g butter, melted
- 2 punnets fresh baby tomatoes, some kept whole and some halved
- 15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
- 15ml (1 tbsp) balsamic vinegar
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tubs bocconcini
- a handful of fresh basil leaves
- 30ml (2 tbsp) ready-made basil pesto (the freshest you can buy)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C and lightly grease a muffin tray.
Place a sheet of filo pastry on a board and brush with melted butter. Add a second sheet of filo, repeating the process, and then a third.
Using a sharp knife, cut the pastry into squares big enough to be pushed into the muffin holes – to create filo baskets for the caprese salad. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and crisp, about 5 – 10 minutes.
For the salad, toss half of the tomatoes whole in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves and roast in the preheated oven for 15 – 20 minutes.
Toss together the bocconcini, roasted tomatoes, halved baby tomatoes and basil leaves. Dress with basil pesto and season.
Fill the pastry cases with the caprese salad mix and garnish with more fresh basil.
Cook’s tip: Try to buy exotic baby tomatoes for colour or Rosa tomatoes for flavour; this recipe has very simple flavours and depends on the quality of the ingredients.
