As we’re always on a mission to sneak veggies into our dishes, we’ve chosen a spinach and Parmesan cheese pesto for our filling. But if you prefer you can replace it with your own filling and continue with the method shown here. You could even make it into a sweet appetiser by using Nutella as the filling.
Summary
Prep: 15 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
Ages: Toddlers to Teens
Difficulty: Easy peasy
Makes: 1 Tarte Soleil – 16 strips
How do you make a Tarte Soleil?
You need 2 large sheets of puff pastry to begin. Roll them out with a rolling pin. Cut out large circles, in the size you want your tart to be.
Lay the first one out on a floured surface and spread your filling into it. Then lay the second one on top of it.
With a sharp knife cut lines from the middle to the edge of the circle, so that it looks a bit like the Sun’s rays. Leave a circle in the middle of the pie which is not cut. Then take each ‘ray’, twist it and lay it down.
And that’s it! Brush the top with some lightly beaten egg and bake it in the oven until golden.
Tarte Soleil with spinach pesto
Ingredients
- 2 large puff pastry sheets
Filling
- 80 grams of fresh spinach, steamed
- 80 grams Parmesan cheese
- 1 large garlic clove
Topping
- 1 egg, beaten
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
Filling:
- Steam your spinach for 5 minutes until it collapses. Drain thoroughly.
- In a food processor, blend the steamed spinach, Parmesan and garlic until it makes a smooth paste.
Assemble the tart:
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350°F) fan setting.
- Lay a large piece of greaseproof baking paper out on a flat surface. Sprinkle it with flour.
- On the paper, roll out your first puff pastry sheet until you can cut a 15 inch (40 cm) circle out of it. Place a round 15 inch plate on top of it and cut around it to get a clean circle.
- Repeat the process with the second pastry sheet and set it to one side.
- Transfer one of your pastry circles, together with the greaseproof paper underneath it onto a baking tray.
- Spread your spinach and Parmesan cheese filling over it. Leave an inch around the edges clear.
- Wet the edges using a little water and your fingers. Then carefully lift and place the second pastry circle on top of the first.
- Press the edges together to seal them. You should now have two puff pastry circles on top of each other, with your spinach filling in the middle.
- Place large coffee cup or glass top-down, in the middle of your circle. This will be the centre of the Tarte Soleil that you won’t touch.
- Using a sharp knife, make a series of cuts away from the glass at the 3,6,9 and 12 o’clock points of the circle. Be careful not to cut through the baking paper underneath. If your pastry feels too soft when you’re cutting it, pop it in the freezer for a few minutes to make it firmer and then continue cutting.
- Make each quarter into halves and then halves again. Each quarter should now have 4 strips giving you 16 strips in total. They look a bit like the Sun’s rays radiating out from the centre.
- Remove the glass and pick up one “ray” at a time. Place your finger at the base of the ray (at it’s weakest point) and gently twist it a few times. Do this for all the strips. Your Tarte Soleil is ready for the oven.
Cook your Tarte Soleil
- Beat 1 egg in a small bowl and brush it over the top of the pastry. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or your preferred toppings.
- Bake in the middle shelf of the oven for 30 minutes or until golden. Let it cool for 10 minutes then transfer it carefully onto a serving platter.
Tarte soleil appetizer – our step by step guide:
Steam the spinach
Steam your spinach for 5 minutes until it collapses.
Add Parmesan and garlic and blend
Using your food processor, mix together your spinach, garlic and Parmesan until it’s a smooth paste. Set it aside.
Cut out your puff pastry circle
First lay out a piece of greaseproof baking paper and sprinkle with flour.
On top of the paper, roll out your first puff pastry sheet until it’s bigger than the circle you want to create.
Take a plate or bowl which is the size that you want your tart to be and cut around it using a sharp knife.
We recommend a 15 inch plate (or 40 cm) for a nice sized Tarte Soleil.
Cut out the second pastry circle
Repeat the process for your second puff pastry sheet to get a clean circle like the one pictured.
Spread your filling out on the base
Transfer one pastry circle along with the baking paper under it to an oven tray. This will act as your base.
Spread your filling all over the pastry. Leave an inch around the edges clear.
Dip your fingers in some water and dab the edges of the circle. This is to help seal the base and top pastry layers together.
Add your second pastry layer
Take your second pastry circle out of the fridge and lay it on top of the first circle. Press the edges together.
Take a large glass or coffee cup and position it upside down in the centre of the circle.
Cut four lines across the pastry at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock, coming away from the glass to the edges of the circle.
Keep cutting to make 16 rays
Cut each quarter of the circle into 4 sections. In total there should be 16 pieces that look like rays of the Sun.
Twist each pastry strip
Pick up one of the strips. Keep your finger near the base (the end near the centre of the tart) and twist it two or three times. Then lay it back down.
Be careful not to pull too hard. Continue to do this for all the pieces in the tart.
Brush with egg wash
Lightly beat your egg in a small bowl and brush it over the top of your tart.
Sprinkle some sesame or poppy seeds over the top if you wish.
Pop on the middle shelf of your preheated oven. Cook for about 30 minutes or until golden.
Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Start picking off strips of your Tarte Soleil!
Tarte Soleil with spinach pesto
Ingredients
- 2 large puff pastry sheets
Spinach pesto filling
- 80 grams fresh spinach
- 80 grams Parmesan cheese
- 1 large garlic clove
Toppings
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
Spinach pesto filling
-
Steam your spinach for 5 minutes until it collapses. Drain thoroughly.
-
In a food processor, blend the steamed spinach, Parmesan and garlic until it makes a smooth paste.
Assemble the tart
-
Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350°F) fan setting.
-
Lay a large piece of greaseproof baking paper out on a flat surface. Sprinkle it with flour.
-
On the paper, roll out your first puff pastry sheet until you can cut a 15 inch (40 cm) circle out of it. Place a round 15 inch plate on top of it to help you cut out a clean circle.
-
Repeat the process with the second pastry sheet and set it to one side.
-
Transfer one of your pastry circles, together with the greaseproof paper underneath it onto a baking tray.
-
Spread your spinach and Parmesan cheese filling over it. Leave an inch around the edges clear.
-
Wet the edges using a little water and your fingers. Then carefully lift and place the second pastry circle on top of the first.
-
Press the edges together to seal them. You should now have two puff pastry circles on top of each other, with your spinach filling in the middle.
-
Place large coffee cup or glass top-down, in the middle of your circle. This will be the centre of the Tarte Soleil that you won’t touch.
-
Using a sharp knife, make a series of cuts away from the glass at the 3,6,9 and 12 o’clock points of the circle. Be careful not to cut through the baking paper underneath. If your pastry feels too soft when you’re cutting it, pop it in the freezer for a few minutes to make it firmer and then continue cutting.
-
Make each quarter into halves and then halves again. Each quarter should now have 4 strips giving you 16 strips in total. They look a bit like the Sun’s rays radiating out from the centre.
-
Remove the glass and pick up one “ray” at a time. Place your finger at the base of the ray (at it’s weakest point) and gently twist it a few times. Do this for all the strips. Your Tarte Soleil is ready for the oven.
Cook your Tarte Soleil
-
Beat 1 egg in a small bowl and brush it over the top of the pastry. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or your preferred toppings.
-
Bake in the middle shelf of the oven for 30 minutes or until golden. Let it cool for 10 minutes then transfer it carefully onto a serving platter.
