Description
Pesto caprese puff pastries deliver Italian comfort with elegant simplicity. Crisp pastry layers cradle fresh mozzarella, basil pesto, and ripe tomatoes, creating a perfect Mediterranean-inspired appetizer you’ll savor with pure delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry
- 2–3 roma tomatoes
- 9 1-inch slices fresh mozzarella
Pesto Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 3–4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup walnuts
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Seasoning and Garnish:
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 9 small basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Craft the homemade pesto by pulverizing walnuts, garlic, and salt in a food processor until sandy. Incorporate fresh basil and lemon juice, blending until fragrant.
- Stream olive oil into the mixture while processing until smooth. Gently fold in grated parmesan cheese, creating a vibrant and aromatic sauce.
- Dust a clean surface with flour and unfurl the pastry sheet. Slice into nine precise squares, ensuring uniform size and shape.
- Spread a generous dollop of freshly prepared pesto onto each pastry square. Layer thinly sliced Roma tomatoes and creamy mozzarella on top.
- Carefully lift two diagonal corners of each pastry, folding them towards the center and delicately pinching to seal the delicate parcels.
- Refrigerate the assembled pastries for 20 minutes, allowing the dough to firm and retain its elegant structure.
- Whisk an egg with a splash of water to create a glossy wash. Remove pastries from the refrigerator and brush each one meticulously.
- Sprinkle garlic salt and additional parmesan across the pastry surfaces for enhanced flavor and golden color.
- Position the baking sheet in a preheated oven at 400°F. Bake for 22-25 minutes until pastries transform into crisp, golden treasures.
- Once baked, let the pastries rest briefly. Drizzle with balsamic glaze, garnish with fresh basil leaves, and dust with extra parmesan.
- Serve immediately, presenting these elegant pesto caprese puff pastries as a delightful appetizer or light meal.
Notes
- Homemade pesto elevates this dish with fresh, vibrant flavors that are incredibly simple to create in just minutes.
- Chilling the pastries before baking ensures they maintain a crisp, flaky texture and prevents the edges from spreading too quickly.
- Use room temperature ingredients for smoother pesto and easier pastry handling, which helps create more consistent and delicious results.
- Roma tomatoes provide the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, complementing the rich mozzarella and creamy pesto beautifully.
- Egg wash creates a gorgeous golden-brown finish and helps seal the pastry edges, giving a professional bakery-style appearance.
- Balsamic glaze adds a luxurious touch of sweetness and complexity, transforming these pastries from good to absolutely spectacular.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 15mg