If you find yourself without puff pastry or shortcrust pastry and no time to make your own, don’t worry! We’ve discovered the perfect alternative for a quick tart base. The secret? Using filo pastry sheets. Here’s how you can do it.
Filo sheets are typically used to make delicious spring rolls or appetizer triangles. However, they can also serve as an excellent base for both sweet and savory tarts.
Xavier Pincemin, a former Top Chef contestant, shared this tip, which has been tried and tested by the 750G editorial team. In a video, he demonstrated making a tomato-mozzarella tart with a touch of pesto, putting a fresh twist on this classic Italian dish. He cleverly used two filo sheets to create the tart base, which cooks up in just a few minutes, resulting in a beautifully crisp base. This impressive trick is something you’ll want to try right away. Here’s how to go about it.
Frying Pan Method
To prepare a tart base using a frying pan, start by lightly brushing each filo sheet with some olive oil. In his recipe, Xavier Pincemin also adds a bit of parmesan between the layers to melt nicely, but feel free to use any cheese you prefer. Alternatively, butter can be used instead of oil.
For a sweet version, brush your filo sheets with butter and honey. Once you’ve layered the sheets, add a bit of fat to a pan and place your filo sheets inside. Make sure the pan is smaller than the filo sheets so the edges curve upwards, forming a tart shape. Let it cook for a few minutes until the filo sheets turn golden brown. After cooking, allow the filo sheets to cool for about 10 minutes before adding your filling.
Oven Method
You can also bake your filo tart base in the oven. Start by lining a cake tin with parchment paper, ensuring the tin’s diameter is smaller than that of the filo sheets. After brushing and layering the filo sheets with olive oil, place them in the tin. You can either pre-bake the base without any topping if you plan to add a cold filling later. In this case, you might want to use something like dried beans to weigh down the dough during baking to maintain its shape.
Alternatively, you may choose to add your filling right away and then bake. Set your oven to 180°C (about 350°F) and bake for roughly 20 minutes, though the exact time might vary depending on your filling. Always check with a knife to see if it’s done. Small tart molds also work well for this method.
And to give this technique a go, try our recipe for a tomato and cream cheese tart—it’s simply delicious!
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