Mini Tomato Pastry Bites for Lunch Boxes

 A succulent wee pastry bite that's simple and fun to make and a real treat in lunch boxes.

Don't they look good?

They are just as tasty as they look.

These little savoury bites are super simple to make and they burst with flavour in your mouth. 

They are just the right size to pick up and eat at lunchtime without the need for any cutlery. 

Perfect for lunch boxes for (back-to-school) kids and (at home or at work) adults. Nobody is going to turn these little beauties down. 

HOW MANY WILL YOU EAT?

These bites are super small, so a batch of pastry can make 50 teeny bites.

Each pastry is just a little bit bigger than a cherry tomato, so you'll want to add a few to your lunch box.

Serve them with some salad for a more balanced lunch. Although remember tomatoes are more healthy when they are cooked, so they are fairly healthy.

I wonder just how many of them you will eat before they actually reach a lunch box?

They are very moreish!

Serve with Vegan Lemon & Chive Dip for dunking

CHERRY TOMATOES

These little bites start with the tomatoes.

I used cherry tomatoes but any mini tomato variety would be good for these bites.

Of course, you could just add a plain tomato to the flavoured pastry, but I do something a bit more special with them.

You will find out as you read on.

They are divine!

PESTO

These savoury little tasty bites are flavoured with pesto.

Pesto is the perfect partner to tomatoes. The Italians know what they are doing when they pair tomatoes and basil and the same goes for pesto.

You can use shop-bought pesto or make your own.

There is a pesto recipe as part of the recipe below or you could try my simple cashew pesto.

also try Vegan Cheese & Red Pepper Filo Hand Pies

CHERRY TOMATOES

I use cherry tomatoes for these mini pastries, but you could use any small tomatoes.

The tomatoes can be added as they are but I do something marvellous with them that gives them an amazing flavour.

Intrigued?

BALSAMIC CHERRY TOMATOES

The extra flavour in these little succulent bites comes from balsamic vinegar.

I fry the tomatoes in a dry pan until the skin splits then I add balsamic vinegar which soaks into the cracks and gives a wonderful flavour. 

Any extra balsamic vinegar at the edges goes almost caramelised like toffee. Oh, it's a wonderful thing.

VEGAN PUFF PASTRY

I used a block of puff pastry and rolled it out before cutting circles for the pastry bites, but you could save even more time by using ready-rolled pastry.

Most puff pastry you can buy in supermarkets is suitable for vegans, both supermarket brands and big well-known brands.

The one thing to look out for is pastry named 'all butter' as it is just that and not suitable for vegans.

PUFF PASTRY TIPS

READY-ROLLED PUFF PASTRY

To get the best from your ready-rolled pastry, take it out the fridge 20-30 minutes before you are going to use it to allow it to come to room temperature.

If it's hot (the weather), it will need less time.

If you try to unfold it before it is at room temperature it will be difficult and might crack.

BLOCK PASTRY

If you're using a block of pastry, you can use it sooner, but do lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin so it doesn't stick.

CUTTING MINI CIRCLES

I used a shot glass to cut the little bite-sized pastry circles for these mini pastries, but you could use a small cookie cutter.

If you don't have either of those, have a look around your kitchen. You may find a lid from a bottle, jar or even a vitamin jar might be the right size to cut the pastry. Just wash them well first.

You need the pastry to be a little bigger than one of the tomatoes.

also try Vegan Pesto Cheese Swirls

HOW LONG WILL THESE BITES LAST?

Not very long as they are so tasty!

But seriously, these little morsels of deliciousness can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

MORE VEGAN LUNCH BOX IDEAS

• Easy Balsamic Beet Slaw
• Homemade Cashew Pesto
• Mini Falafel Onion Pies
• Red Pepper & Kale Lunch Wrap
• Vegan Cheese Savoury Sandwich Filling

also check out Kid- Friendly School Lunch Plan for Vegan Kids

Mini Tomato Pastry Bites

Jacqueline Meldrum

A succulent wee pastry bite that's simple and fun to make and a real treat in lunch boxes.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course Easy Vegan Snacks

Cuisine British

Servings 50

Calories 69.6 kcal

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Cup Measures

 

1x2x3x

Pastry

• 250 g chilled puff pastry
• Flour for dusting if rolling out a block of pastry

Tomatoes

• 50 cherry tomatoes
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Pesto

• 125 ml olive oil
• 25 g fresh basil
• 100 g salted cashew nuts
• 1 clove garlic
• a good grinding of black pepper

Instructions

 

• Take the pastry out of the fridge to come to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan/400f/gas mark 6. Line one large or two standard baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
• Heat a wok or frying pan and add the cherry tomatoes. Don't add any oil, you want to fry them dry. When the skin of the tomatoes start to crack, add a couple of tablespoons of balsamic vinegar to the pan. This will seep into the cracks and caramelise slightly at the edges. Remove the tomatoes from the pan and set them aside.
• Time to make the pesto (unless you are using shop-bought pesto). Whizz the pesto ingredients in a blender or food processor. It doesn't have to be too smooth.
• Lightly flour your worktop and roll out half the pastry and cut little circles using a shot glass, small cookie cutter or jar lid. Something just a little bigger than the cherry tomatoes.
• Place your pastry circles on one of your lined baking trays and top each with a little dollop of pesto and a cherry tomato.
• Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes until the pastry has risen and is golden. Remove and leave to cool.
• While the first batch is baking prepare the second batch.
• You can prepare both trays and put them in at once, The tray below may need a little longer.
• Enjoy!

Notes

• You can prepare a small batch at a time. Just cut a smaller piece of pastry and make up as many as you like.
• You may make the pesto listed in the recipe or use a jar of shop-bought pesto.
• You may skip the balsamic vinegar if you think your child would prefer them plain. Just add a tomato to the pesto-topped pastry without frying them in a pan.
• These pastries can be kept in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 69.6kcalCarbohydrates: 5.88gProtein: 1.27gFat: 5.5gSaturated Fat: 0.84gSodium: 3mgSugar: 0.73g

Keyword vegan bites, vegan pastry, vegan puff pastry, vegan snacks, vegan tarts

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