MINI CHEESE AND TOMATO TARTLETS

»» Annabel says: This recipe is bound to incite some serious lunchbox envy. With melt-in-the-mouth pastry and the most delicious cheese, tomato, onion and thyme filling, these tartlets also make a great grown-up lunch or canapé.

MAKES 24 PREP 25 MINUTES (PLUS 30 MINUTES

REFRIGERATION) COOK 20 MINUTES TO GET THE PATTERN ON THE EDGE OF THE PASTRY CASE, YOU’LL NEED A 5CM-ROUND FLUTED COOKIE CUTTER.

1¼ cups plain flour, plus extra for dusting 75g chilled unsalted butter, chopped 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon iced water Filling 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 brown onions, finely chopped 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 150ml double cream 12 cherry tomatoes, halved ¹⁄³ cup finely grated parmesan 1 Grease 2 x 12-hole (¹⁄³-cup-capacity) muffin pans. 2 Place flour and butter in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Process until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add egg and iced water. Process until mixture forms a ball. 3 Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface until 5mm thick. Using a 5cm-round fluted cookie cutter, cut 24 rounds from pastry, re-rolling and cutting trimmings. Line prepared pan holes with pastry. Prick bases with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 4 Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. 5 Make Filling Heat oil in a saucepan over low heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk egg and cream together in a jug. 6 Divide onion evenly among pastry cases. Top each with a cherry tomato half, cut-side up. Pour over egg mixture and sprinkle with parmesan. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Stand in pans for 2 minutes. Carefully transfer tartlets to a wire rack to cool. Serve. NUTRITION: (each) 425kj; 7.4g fat; 4.2g sat fat; 2.3g protein; 6.4g carbs; 0.6g fibre; 39mg chol; 46mg sodium.

This is an edited extract from Busy Mum’s Cookbook ($55, Penguin) by Annabel Karmel. On sale nationally at good bookshops and online retailers.