Tomato & Pesto Tartlets

Savoury, buttery tartlet shells filled with roasted Roma tomatoes topped with homemade (or store-bought) pesto. The perfect start to any occasion.

My Mum’s Tomato & Pesto Tartlets — A Tradition Made for Sharing

These delicious tartlets have been a fixture at our family Christmases for as long as I can remember. My Mum (Pam) has made them every year without fail — and for good reason. They’re easy to prepare ahead then assemble just before serving. As the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

What makes them so enduringly special? It’s the perfect balance of flavour: the sweet yet tangy roasted tomatoes, paired with a luscious homemade pesto — creamy, herby, and nutty — perched like a festive little crown on top. The vibrant red and green colours also bring a cheerful summery flair, perfect for an Australian Christmas when tomatoes are at their peak.

And while they’re a staple of our holiday table, I think they deserve a place at Afternoon Tea too. You see, they pair beautifully with a chilled glass of Champagne and can be made effortlessly using store-bought tartlet shells (and store-bought pesto if you prefer).

Why You’ll Love These Tartlets

The sweet acidity of the roasted tomatoes and the herbaceousness of the pesto provide a lovely counterpoint to richer savouries and sweet treats often found on an Afternoon Tea stand.

While Mum still makes her own sour cream shortcrust pastry (lining and blind-baking mini muffin tins like a pro), I prefer to buy pre-made savoury tart shells from my local gourmet store. They have great flavour and save a lot of time. Look for something similar near you (see dimensions below).

The recipe below makes just 12 tartlets — ideal when you want to serve then with other treats as part of an Afternoon Tea table. Of course, you can double or triple the tomato and tartlet quantities as needed.

My pesto recipe below makes a small jar, so you’ll have enough no matter the quantity of tartlets you decide to make. Here are some delicious ideas for leftover pesto:

Pesto Pasta: Toss with hot pasta and a splash of pasta water for a silky, glossy finish. Add cherry tomatoes, grilled chicken, or roasted veg for a fuller meal.

Pesto Chicken: Spread over chicken breasts and bake with mozzarella and tomatoes for a simple caprese-style bake.

Vegetarian Pizza: Use as a base instead of traditional tomato pizza sauce. Top with mozzarella, roast pumpkin, red onion, cherry tomatoes, capsicum, olives and feta cheese.

Good to know

• You will need digital scales for this recipe to ensure accuracy and success. You will also need a small food processor, blender or Nutri bullet for the pesto (if making)
• Make the pesto and tomatoes ahead of time then assemble when ready to serve
• Store-bought pesto works perfectly fine too, so don’t make the pesto if you don’t want to or don’t have time
• You can just spoon the pesto on instead of piping it, the choice is yours

Make ahead tips

• Make the pesto up to 1 week ahead of time. Put a thin film of olive oil on top to prevent oxidisation
• Roast the tomatoes the day before and store in the fridge
• Use store bought savoury shortcrust tart shells

Try these Afternoon Tea recipes

Ginger Scones with Lime & Vanilla Double Cream

Pistachio Brownies with Pistachio Buttercream

Lemon & Blackberry Sandwich Cake

Daisy Choux Puffs

Goat’s Cheese Tartlets

Ingredients for Tomato & Pesto Tartlets

Roma / plum tomatoes – Egg-shaped, like a small plum their firm flesh has fewer seeds and less water content than regular round tomatoes (perfect for tartlets). Look for bright red ones.

Savoury shortcrust tartlet shells – Buy the best quality you can find/afford. You want to look for a product that contains butter as they will give you a melt-in-mouth texture and a better flavour than shells made with oil or shortening. Size: 4cm / 1.5 inch.

Fresh sweet basil – Found in supermarkets and grown in gardens, it is fragrant, mild, and smooth in flavour. You will need a good-sized bunch (see photo above) that nets around 30g (1 ounce) of leaves.

Parmigiano Reggiano – Its dry, crumbly texture blends smoothly into the pesto without making it greasy or gloopy. Use the best quality, genuine Parmigiano you can afford, it will make a difference to the overall flavour of the pesto. Learn more about this beautiful cheese here.

Pine nuts – Provide the creamy, nutty body that balances the herbaceous basil and salty cheese. Their high oil content helps emulsify the pesto into a smooth, luscious texture. Substitute with cashews or toasted walnuts if you prefer.

Plus: Fresh garlic, fine table salt, freshly ground black pepper, caster / superfine sugar, and olive oil.

A note about this recipe

The recipe below is for making the tomatoes and the pesto at the same time. You can make just the pesto (it will keep up to 7 days in the fridge), then the day before you wish to serve your tarts, make the tomato recipe – the choice is yours. Assemble just before serving so they stay crispy.

Preparation – Tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 160 C (fan) / 320 F (fan).

Line a small baking sheet with baking paper.

Make the tomatoes

In a medium bowl mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper and sugar.

Cut the tomatoes in half lengthways then cut a small slit in the skin at each end.

Place the tomatoes in the bowl with the olive oil mix. Stir well to coat, then tip out onto the lined baking sheet.

Arrange the tomatoes cut side down, leaving plenty of space between each one for the heat to circulate.

Roast in the oven for 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the pesto

While the tomatoes are cooking, make the pesto. You will need a small food processor, blender or Nutri bullet.

Toast the pinenuts

Place the pinenuts in a small frying pan and cook over medium heat, shaking the pan back and forth until they start to colour (about 2-3 minutes). Turn off the heat then keep shaking until they develop a light brown, toasty colour. Tip onto a plate, and cool completely.

Prep the remaining ingredients

Remove the basil leaves from the stems.

Measure the olive oil into a small jug.

Weigh the grated parmesan.

Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Have some fine table salt close by.

Blend the pesto

Place the basil, parmesan, garlic, cooled pinenuts, a third of the olive oil and a pinch of salt into your blender/food processor.

Blend/process for about 15 seconds. Add another third of the olive oil, blend/process again for 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides with a spatula, add the last third of the olive oil, and blend/process again for 15 seconds. Check that all the oil has been incorporated. If not, repeat for another 10 seconds.

Taste and add a pinch more salt if you wish. Stir with a spatula (don’t blend/process anymore).

Place in a small dish or clean jar, add a couple of drops of olive oil on top to stop it from oxidising, then cover with plastic wrap or a lid.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Cool the tomatoes

When the tomatoes are ready, remove them from the oven and leave them to cool completely on the tray.

Once cooled, carefully remove and discard the tomato skin. Arrange on a plate into 12 portions, curved side up with seeds tucked underneath. Cover and store in the refrigerator until required (up to 1 day).

Assemble the Tomato & Pesto Tartlets

When you are ready to serve, remove the tomatoes from the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature.

Fit a small disposable piping bag with a plain round tip measuring 5mm (3/16 inch) or cut 1cm (½ inch) off the end. Or you can just spoon the pesto on top with a teaspoon if you prefer.

Place the bag in a glass, then turn over one third to form a cuff. Set aside for now.

Take a tart shell and place a piece of tomato inside with the curved side up. Tuck the ends underneath so it sits up just below the edge (use a teaspoon to push it in). If it is too big and spills over the shell, quickly remove it and cut to fit. Repeat with the rest of tartlets. Try to get them to a consistent height if possible (trim if not).

Remove the pesto from the fridge and give it a quick stir.

Fill the piping bag just under halfway, remove from the glass, then twist until no gaps remain.

Hold the bag just above the centre of the tomato and slowly pipe a small blob. Repeat with the rest of the tartlets. To remove any ‘tails’ dip your finger in some water and gently press down – they should melt away.

Serve

Transfer the finished tartlets to a decorative tray or tiered stand and serve immediately.

FAQs about Tomato & Pesto Tartlets

How long will they last before they go soggy? Roma tomatoes are lower in juice than other tomatoes and roasting them reduces a lot of the liquid too. However, they will still contain some moisture so be aware that after about 1 hour the tartlet shells will become slightly soggy. This is why it’s best to assemble the tartlets just before serving. That way they won’t end up sitting out too long before being consumed by your hungry guests.