Look no further for you next easy appetizer. This Caprese Puff Pastry is put together in minutes using tomatoes, mozzarella, pesto and puff pastry. Can be prepped in advance and baked just before serving.

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Something you will always find on hand in my fridge is Puff Pastry! There is no end what you can make from Main Courses to Appetizers and Desserts. 

If you are looking for an exceedingly quick and easy nibble for a party, you have to make this Caprese Puff Pastry. I made this so many times over the years and it’s delicious. It can be served hot or at room temperature.

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What is This Pastry Braid Like

• Difficulty – This is pretty straight forward to make. Be sure to follow the photos below for cutting and folding the pastry.
• Taste – A flaky pastry filled with green pesto, tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese. A great fresh flavour using all these fresh ingredients.!
• Serving – This will make easily 8 – 10 servings as an appetizer or side dish.

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Ingredients

• Puff pastry – I used ready to roll frozen Puff Pastry. This is easy to find in pretty much all supermarkets. Often, you can also find it in the chiller section.
• Green pesto – To make this recipe very easy, I used store bought green pesto. You can always make you own if you prefer.
• Tomatoes – Thinly sliced tomatoes are placed on top of the pesto inside the pastry.
• Mozzarella cheese – I used a fresh mozzarella ball torn into small pieces. This added a great flavour layer to the pastry braid.
• Egg – A whisked egg is used to brush the pastry before baking to give it a golden touch once baked.

NOTE, The full recipe and ingredient list can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven – Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Cut pastry – Remove the puff pastry from the fridge and unroll it. Lay the pastry sheet on a sheet of parchment paper. Think of the pastry in thirds. Cut approximately 8 equal diagonal strips on each side. Start the shaping of the pastry by cutting the top corners off and then making a small oval cut at the top.
3. Fill pastry – Spoon the pesto into the middle section of the pastry and evenly spread it out. Top with the thinly sliced tomatoes and then the torn pieces of mozzarella cheese. Leaving an 1/2 inch (1 cm) space at the top and the bottom, fold the pastry over the filling. Fold the pastry strips over each other. Gently press down the edges so they stay shut.
4. Bake – Lift the parchment paper onto the baking tray. Brush the top of the pastry braid with the whisked egg. Bake between 20 – 25 minutes until golden and puffed up.
5. Serve – Remove from the oven and leave to cool for about 10 minutes before cutting. Cut into slices and serve hot.

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Recipe Tips

• Prepare in advance – Yes, you can make this in advance and store it in the fridge until cooking time. Just wrap it foil and keep in the fridge. Bake straight from the fridge.
• Use cold puff pastry – When putting the braid together, make sure to use cold puff pastry. It’s much easier to work with. Warm puff pastry will be difficult to fold properly.
• Follow the photos – To cut and assemble the pastry braid, I suggest you follow the photos above.
• Serve hot or warm – It can be eaten hot or at room temperature. It is best fresh, but can easily sit out at a party for a few hours.

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Substitutions

• Green pesto – I used store brought green pesto. You can make your own pesto if you like. Alternatively, for a different flavour you could use red pesto.
• Fresh mozzarella – Although the fresh mozzarella is better, you can use shredded pizza mozzarella cheese.
• Puff pastry – You can use phyllo dough, shortcrust pastry, pizza dough, pie crust or even biscuit dough. All of these will yield slightly different results, but they will work.

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Serving

• Serving – This pastry is so versatile and can be served at a brunch, lunch, dinner or even as an appetizer. It would go great with a Bacon and Tomato Salad, the Grilled Chicken and Avocado Salad, or the Feta and Tomato Salad Cups.
• Storage – This is best served hot and fresh, however you can bake it in advance and keep it in the fridge up to one day before. To reheat, just place it on a baking tray and reheat in a preheated 350 degrees f/180 degrees c oven for about 10 minutes.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Thanks For Stopping By & Hope To See You Soon!