Australian home cooks looking for a show-stopping appetiser need look no further. This detailed guide will walk you through creating exquisite, bite-sized olive oil tartlets filled with a luxuriously smooth taramasalata, a dish perfect for sophisticated entertaining.
Crafting the Perfect Olive Oil Pastry
The foundation of this elegant canapé is a uniquely flavourful pastry. The process begins by combining 160 grams of plain flour with half a teaspoon of fine salt and 20 grams of finely grated parmesan in a food processor. To this dry mixture, add one and a half tablespoons of olive oil and 60 millilitres of cold water.
Pulse the ingredients until a rough dough just begins to form. Turn this out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it briefly. The goal is a smooth and elastic dough, which you should then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.
Baking the Delicate Tartlet Shells
Once the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Roll the pastry out very thinly, aiming for a thickness of just 1 to 2 millimetres. Using a cutter, stamp out 8-centimetre rounds from the delicate sheet of dough.
For the perfect shape, arrange these rounds on the alternate holes of an upside-down 12-hole mini perforated tart pan, each hole measuring roughly 6.5cm by 2.5cm. To ensure the tartlets hold their form and don't puff up excessively, place a second identical tray on top. Bake the tartlets for 10 minutes before carefully removing the top tray. Continue baking for a further 5 minutes, or until the shells are a beautiful golden brown and perfectly crisp. It is crucial to let them cool completely before attempting to add the filling.
Preparing the Creamy Taramasalata Filling
While the tartlet shells are cooling, you can focus on the star of the dish: the taramasalata. Start with 200 grams of white bread, with the crusts removed, that has been soaked in water. Squeeze out all the excess water thoroughly. Transfer the damp bread to a blender along with 80 grams of tarama (salted cod roe), 50 grams of chopped white onion, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
Blend these ingredients until the mixture is completely smooth. With the blender still running, slowly drizzle in 400 millilitres of sunflower oil. You will see the mixture thicken and emulsify into a rich, creamy spread. To finish and lighten the texture, add a splash of one tablespoon of soda water and blend briefly to incorporate.
To assemble, simply spoon or pipe the creamy taramasalata filling into the waiting tartlet shells. For a final touch of luxury, garnish each one with a small amount of caviar. This recipe, which uses a specific Wiltshire Rose Gold Perforated Mini Quiche & Tart Pan, delivers a professional result that is sure to impress any guest.
