A quick and tasty appetizer idea, with ready-made shortcrust pastry and a few other ingredients… the shortcrust pastry baskets bake in the oven in a few minutes, then are filled with mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, and ham while cold. They are perfect for any occasion, from a mid-August lunch to an aperitif with friends, they are tasty and colorful, when you bring them to the table they will disappear in an instant! The recipe is super easy, below you will find all the instructions and my suggestions.
Here are more tasty ideas for you:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 12 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 250.59 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 16.10 (g) of which sugars 0.78 (g)
- Proteins 11.48 (g)
- Fat 15.02 (g) of which saturated 3.54 (g)of which unsaturated 2.91 (g)
- Fibers 1.03 (g)
- Sodium 567.84 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 70 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 roll shortcrust pastry (rectangular)
- 3.5 oz prosciutto (or other cold cut)
- 12 yellow cherry tomatoes (or red)
- 12 cherry-sized mozzarella balls
- basil
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper (to taste)
- butter (for molds)
Tools
- Muffin Tin
- Knife
Preparation
Open the shortcrust pastry on the work surface, divide it into 12 squares, cutting them with a knife or a pastry wheel.
Grease the cavities of the muffin tin with a little butter, place the pastry squares making them adhere to the walls.
Prick the bottom with a fork or a toothpick.
Place the baskets in a fan oven at 350-365°F and bake them for 13-15 minutes, or until the pastry is dry and golden.
Meanwhile, drain and dry the mozzarella balls, wash the tomatoes, cut them in half and season with a little oil and salt.
When the baskets are cooked, remove them from the molds and let them cool for a few minutes, then fill them with slices of ham, mozzarella, and cherry tomatoes.
Garnish with a few basil leaves and a pinch of pepper, if you like.
The shortcrust pastry baskets with mozzarella and ham are ready, perfect as an appetizer or for the mid-August aperitif.
Tips and Variations
If you have larger mozzarella and tomatoes, cut them into pieces. You can use cherry or grape tomatoes, yellow or red.
Instead of prosciutto, you can use speck, bresaola, or any other cold cut you like.
You can also make the baskets with puff pastry.
If you have round shortcrust pastry, cut out discs with a pastry cutter.
FAQ
Can I prepare the recipe in advance?
You can bake the baskets in advance, but I recommend filling them at the last minute, so that the pastry doesn’t get soggy from the filling.
How can I substitute mozzarella?
If you have lactose intolerance, you can omit it or use a lactose-free product. Otherwise, you can replace it with other fresh cheeses or grilled vegetables.
