Sometimes, it is great to opt for convenience when putting food together. That is just what I did with these little canapรฉs. By using frozen puff pasty and store bought pesto, these Caprice Pastry Bites are put together in no time at all. A delicious little bite somewhere between a pizza and a pasty. Good enough to adorn and canapรฉs, tapas or drinks party!
Sometimes Convenience is Best
I have to say, when it comes to pesto, I usually buy the stuff. I love it so much and have made it many times. But the end result is that it is just too expensive to make. Do you know how much pine nuts cost??? Too much is the answer. I can buy a jar of good quality pesto for a fraction of the price that I can make the stuff. Yes, you can tell the difference and the home made stuff is just better. But sometimes common sense has to take over when you have to weigh the options of paying the rent or making pesto!
In all seriousness though, some store bought products are just as good as home made and quite often cheaper. I try my best to make most of my food from scratch. Several reasons why. I get to control the ingredients and that has to be better all around. The cost of fresh ingredients where we live is just outstandingly fantastic. So, it is generally economical. Plus, I think it always just tastes better. Besides if I didn’t bother I guess I wouldn’t have much to share on this little thing I call a food blog…ha!
So yes, this quick canapรฉ focuses on store bought ingredients to make my life easier. I made them several times now and they were a hit with kids and adults alike. The kids said they were like little pizza bites. I prefer to think them as pizza canapรฉs. However you look at them, they are a great hit at any party.
A few little cooking tips to get them just right
- Drain all the liquid off the copped tomatoes so they don’t make the pastry soggy.
- Cut the mozzarella in tiny little squares. I cut them in about 1 cm cubes. You could even grate it if you like.
- They can be prepared in advance and refrigerated until baking time. This would make a great quick nibble if you have guests waiting in the next room.
Hands down, they are best straight of of the oven but will easily sit at a buffet table for a few hours at room temperature.
Get the recipe!
Caprice Pastry Bites
Ingredients
- 1 puff pastry thawed
- 2 Tomatoes finely diced
- 1/4 Cup pesto
- 1 ball mozzarella cut into small cubes
- 1/4 Cup parmesan fresh grated
- Small bunch fresh basil finely chopped
- Coarse sea salt
- 1 Egg beaten
- 2-3 Tablespoons flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- Spread the flour out on a clean working surface and put the pastry on top of the flour. Cut the pastry into 18 small squares. Transfer the squares to the baking tray. Brush about 1 cm of the edges of each pastry square with the beaten egg.
- Place a small amount of pesto in the middle of each pastry square and spread out with a spoon. Top with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, fresh basil and a sprinkle of sea salt.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and puffed. Serve immediately.
*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Thanks For Stopping By & Hope To See You Soon!
