Italian Snacks and Light Meals Recipes - Mediterranean Tartlets (Crostatine Mediterranean) Recipe

 

Ingredients

Pastry:

• 225g/8 oz/2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour

• 1.5 ml/1/4 tsp salt

• 5 ml/1 tsp paprika

• 75g/3 oz/1/3 cup butter or margarine

 Filling:

• 45 ml/3 tbsp virgin olive oil

• 2 large onions, sliced

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 75 g/3 oz sundried tomatoes, chopped

• 1 orange (bell) pepper

• 30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 100 g/4 oz/1 cup Pecorino cheese, grated

• 75 g/3 oz/1/2 cup black olives, stoned (pitted)

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Method:

1. Sift the flour, salt and paprika into a bowl. Rub in the butter or margarine until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Add enough water to mix to a firm dough and knead the pastry for 1 minute. Wrap in Clingfilm (plastic wrap) and chill for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Roll out the pastry on a floured board and use to line six 10 cm/4 in fluted tartlet tins (patty pans).

4. Line each pastry case with greaseproof (waxed) paper and fill with baking beans. Bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes.

5. Remove the paper and beans. Heat the oil in a frying pan  and cook the onions and garlic for 5 minutes until soft.

6. Add the tomatoes, pepper, basil, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes and stir in the cheese.

7. Spoon into the cooked pastry cases and top with the olives.