Description
These Upside Down Puff Pastry Pizza Tarts are a fun and flavorful twist on classic pepperoni pizza. Loaded with spicy pepperoni, garlic, mozzarella, and fresh basil, all encased in a crispy golden puff pastry, they make a perfect quick snack, appetizer, or light lunch. The tarts are baked upside down to prevent soggy pastry, ensuring a crisp and gooey bite every time.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 18 slices pepperoni
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed (or use confit garlic)
- 3/4 cup pizza sauce (or crushed tinned tomatoes)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Good grind of black pepper
- 1 cup grated mozzarella
- A handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon sweet chilli jam
Pastry and Topping
- 1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1 egg, whisked (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Tray: Preheat your oven to 200C/400F fan and line an oven tray with baking paper for easy clean-up.
- Arrange Pepperoni and Garlic: Divide the pepperoni into six groups of three slices each. Place each group in six spots on the lined tray. Scatter one crushed garlic clove on top of each pepperoni pile.
- Prepare Sauce: If using crushed tinned tomatoes, mix them with 1 teaspoon salt and a good grind of black pepper. Spoon the pizza sauce or seasoned crushed tomatoes evenly over each pepperoni and garlic pile.
- Add Cheese: Scatter grated mozzarella evenly on top of the sauce-covered pepperoni piles.
- Prepare Puff Pastry: Unwrap the sheet of puff pastry and slice it into six equal rectangles, ensuring each piece can cover and seal around each filling mound.
- Seal Pastry Over Filling: Place each puff pastry rectangle over the filling piles on the tray, pressing down with your fingers to seal the pastry edges well around the filling.
- Apply Egg Wash and Parmesan: Whisk the egg in a small bowl and brush the whole top surface of the pastry with it. Then scatter the grated parmesan over the pastry for a tasty golden crust.
- Bake the Tarts: Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes until the puff pastry is deeply golden and crispy.
- Flip and Garnish: Remove the tray carefully from the oven and use a spatula to flip each tart upside down onto a serving plate. Drizzle sweet chilli jam over each tart and sprinkle with chopped fresh basil.
- Serve: Enjoy your crispy, oozy, and gooey Upside Down Puff Pastry Pizza Tarts immediately while warm and fresh.
Notes
- Use confit garlic for a milder, sweeter garlic flavor if preferred.
- Make sure to press the puff pastry edges tightly to avoid any filling leakage during baking.
- If you prefer spicier tarts, add some chili flakes to the sauce before assembling.
- The sweet chilli jam adds a perfect balance of sweetness and heat; substitute with honey-chili sauce if unavailable.
- These tarts are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven to maintain crispiness.
- For a vegetarian version, replace pepperoni with grilled vegetables like bell peppers and mushrooms.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tart
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
