Red pepper, cheese and chive tartlets
Mary Berry’s red pepper, cheese and chive tartlets taste as good as they look. They're a great addition to any afternoon tea gathering or buffet party.
Equipment: you will need two 12-hole bun tins and an 8cm/3¼in round cutter.
Ingredients
For the cheese pastry
- 175g/6oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 100g/3½oz cold butter, cubed
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú Parmesan, grated
- ¼ tsp paprika
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
For the filling
- 175g jar chargrilled red peppers in oil, drained and chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, crushed
- 1½ tbsp sundried tomato paste
- 175g/6oz mature cheddar, grated
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 200ml/7fl oz double cream
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
- 24 cherry tomatoes, each cut into three
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
To make the pastry, put the flour, butter, Parmesan and paprika into a food processor and whizz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and whizz until the mixture just comes together. Tip out onto a floured work surface and gently knead into a ball.
Roll out very thinly and stamp out 24 rounds using an 8cm/3¼in cutter. Line two 12-hole bun tins with the pastry rounds and prick the bases with a fork. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
To make the filling, mix the peppers with the garlic and sundried tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture between the pastry rounds and top each one with a small pile of grated cheese.
Crack the eggs into a wide jug, add the cream, chives and seasoning, and mix together until smooth. Carefully pour over the filling. Top each tart with three slices of tomato.
Bake for 20–25 minutes until pale golden brown and set in the middle. Serve warm.