Savoury Picnic Tarts

10 MINS
|
45 MINS
|
1 sheet makes 4

These tarts are picnic perfect, based off the French pissaladière, the can transport well and feed a crowd. This is less of a recipe and more a way of assembling something delicious from what you already have! While the toppings can shift with the seasons or whatever’s in your fridge, what ties each together is a base of jammy caramelised onions.

Ingredients

Puff pastry sheets, cut into 4 squares
Brown onions, allow 1 large onion per sheet of pastry
Egg (whisk with a dash of milk for egg wash)
Toppings use what you have! Anchovy + Olive is classic.
MORE IDEAS:
Zucchini, mint, ricotta, currants, pine nuts
Thinly sliced potato, rosemary
Pumpkin, sage, chilli flakes
Pear, blue cheese, walnuts, honey
Roasted capsicum, olives
Goat's cheese, thyme

Method

Step 1.

Start by thawing sheets of frozen puff pastry on your kitchen bench. While they come to temperature, thinly slice your onions lengthways (from tip to tip so that you get long strands) and cook them down slowly in olive oil with a pinch of salt. Take your time here (around 20-30 mins)and stir fairly often so they don't catch. You want them to be a deep golden colour and very soft, and almost melting. Set aside and let them cool before assembling.

Step 2.

Preheat your oven to 180C. Cut each sheet of pastry into four squares and place them on a lined tray, leaving a bit of space between each one. Lightly score a border around the edge of each square and brush the edges with egg wash — this will give you that golden, puffed frame.

Step 3.

Spoon a few tablespoons of caramelised onions into the centre of each square, spreading it out but keeping within the border, then top however you like. You could go savoury with anchovy and olive, or something salty-sweet like bresaola with fig, ricotta and a drizzle of honey.

Step 4.

Bake for around 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden. Serve warm or room temp, ideally outdoors, and don’t overthink it — the best versions are usually the ones you didn’t plan too carefully!

Savoury Picnic Tarts

Prep: 10 MINS
Cook: 45 MINS
Serves: 1 sheet makes 4

Ingredients

Puff pastry sheets, cut into 4 squares
Brown onions, allow 1 large onion per sheet of pastry
Egg (whisk with a dash of milk for egg wash)
Toppings use what you have! Anchovy + Olive is classic.
MORE IDEAS:
Zucchini, mint, ricotta, currants, pine nuts
Thinly sliced potato, rosemary
Pumpkin, sage, chilli flakes
Pear, blue cheese, walnuts, honey
Roasted capsicum, olives
Goat's cheese, thyme

Method

Step 1.

Start by thawing sheets of frozen puff pastry on your kitchen bench. While they come to temperature, thinly slice your onions lengthways (from tip to tip so that you get long strands) and cook them down slowly in olive oil with a pinch of salt. Take your time here (around 20-30 mins)and stir fairly often so they don't catch. You want them to be a deep golden colour and very soft, and almost melting. Set aside and let them cool before assembling.

Step 2.

Preheat your oven to 180C. Cut each sheet of pastry into four squares and place them on a lined tray, leaving a bit of space between each one. Lightly score a border around the edge of each square and brush the edges with egg wash — this will give you that golden, puffed frame.

Step 3.

Spoon a few tablespoons of caramelised onions into the centre of each square, spreading it out but keeping within the border, then top however you like. You could go savoury with anchovy and olive, or something salty-sweet like bresaola with fig, ricotta and a drizzle of honey.

Step 4.

Bake for around 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden. Serve warm or room temp, ideally outdoors, and don’t overthink it — the best versions are usually the ones you didn’t plan too carefully!