Vegan asparagus and pesto tarts
I find puff pastry tartlets the perfect nibble to offer at drink parties or take to picnics and trips. These vegan asparagus and pesto tarts are super easy, zingy and yummy – ideal for special occasions such as Mother’s days, Mother’s Day, Anniversaries, Easter and so on. You can serve them as an appetizer or starter too at a dinner party.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190°C.
- Wash and pat dry the asparagus, then snap off their woody ends.
- Mix the pesto with the lemon zest in a small bowl. Squeeze out the garlic flesh from their skin and mix with the pesto. Add the pine nuts if used.
- Unroll the puff pastry on a flat worksurface. Using a pizza-cutter, cut out squares or rectangles – big enough to fit the asparagus, allowing a border of about 1cm. Using a kitchen knife, mark this border all around the tarts, 1cm from the edge.
- Using a silicon brush glaze the tarts with the pesto mixture, up to the border, then loosely lay about 5 asparagus on top. (if the asparagus is too thick, you might want to cut them in half horizontally).
- Scatter some cheese on top (if used), then bake for 15-20 mins until the pastry is golden and the asparagus is lightly charred.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.