Never suffer from soggy pastry again with these genius upside-down puff pastry tarts. Loaded with the flavours of your favourite pepperoni pizza, they make a quick and deceptively simple party snack, lunch or appetizer everyone will love.
Why make these pizza tarts upside down? Honestly, I had the same question when I first saw this technique going around. It seemed like a bit of a gimmick and needlessly fiddly. But honestly? It’s genius.
What’s SO brilliant is that you end up with perfectly golden, incredibly crispy pastry and a soft, gooey, perfectly cooked filling. Baking these the usual way around and you’ll risk the filling burning before the pastry can crisp up. Flipping them over means the filling is totally protected from the harsh heat of the oven, and the pastry has the chance to truly shine. Plus, it means you can 100% avoid the risk of soggy-bottomed pastry.
Ingredients
I’m channelling pepperoni pizza here – with sweet chilli jam offering a lovely sweet, spicy finish after baking.
- Puff pastry. Go for ready-rolled puff pastry for ease – there’s no need to roll it out any further. Ideally, an all-butter puff pastry is best (the flavour will be more luxurious).
- Tomatoes. I’m actually using tinned cherry tomatoes here – mashed up a bit and mixed with a little salt and pepper. I like the texture of chunkier tomatoes in these tarts, but you could also use pizza sauce. I love Mutti for all things tomato.
- Mozzarella. Pre-grated mozzarella is fine here (that’s what I used), but buffalo mozzarella would also be lovely.
- Parmesan. To add a lovely crispy, cheesy extra, we’ll sprinkle the top of the pastry itself with parmesan. You can skip this if you like, but I love the extra layer of flavour.
- Pepperoni. Swap this for chorizo, ‘nduja, prosciutto or cooked crispy bacon if you like.
- Sweet chilli jam. I am a sucker for a little drizzle of sweet chilli (or hot honey sauce) on a pizza after baking. It really elevates the flavours and I recommend giving it a go if you’ve not tried it.
How to make it
You’re doing everything backwards here – so start with what you want to see on top of your tarts. In this case, start by layering your pepperoni onto a lined baking tray (I like to overlap the slices), then top with the garlic. Spoon over your tomatoes or pizza sauce, then scatter over your mozzarella.
Slice your puff pastry into 6 rectangles (making sure they fit over your filling first), then place the rectangles on top of your filling. Use your fingers to press down and around the pastry, sealing the edges. Brush with whisked egg, then sprinkle over the grated parmesan.
Bake for 20 minutes, until the pastry is looking SUPER golden and crispy all over. Remove the tray from the oven, then flip the tarts over. Drizzle with the sweet chilli jam and finish with the basil leaves. Serve right away.
Got a question?
They’re best eaten right after baking when the pastry is still lovely and crispy and the pizza filling is hot, gooey and molten. They’re still delicious cold and will keep for a couple of days in the fridge, but you’ll lose the crispiness if you reheat them.
You can get as creative as you like! Think about your favourite pizza and go from there. Try the toppings from this spicy Hawaiian pizza, peach and blue cheese pizza or spinach and sausage pizza for inspiration.
I like to serve them with more sweet chilli jam on the side as a dipping sauce, and they’re great in a party spread. Try them with your favourite dips, chilli cheese focaccia, halloumi bites or prosciutto filo bites.
Like this recipe? You might enjoy these party favourites
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave me a comment below.
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Upside Down Puff Pastry Pizza Tarts
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Never suffer from soggy pastry again with these genius upside-down puff pastry tarts. Loaded with the flavours of your favourite pepperoni pizza, they make a quick and deceptively simple party snack, lunch or appetizer everyone will love.
Ingredients
For the pizza tarts –
- 18 slices pepperoni
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed (or use confit garlic)
- 3/4 cup pizza sauce (or crushed tinned tomatoes)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Good grind of black pepper
- 1 cup grated mozzarella
- 1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
To serve –
- A handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon sweet chilli jam
Instructions
- Arrange your toppings. Heat your oven to 200C/400F fan, and line an oven tray with baking paper. Divide the pepperoni into six (so three pieces for each tart) then arrange them in six spots on the tray (you may need to use two trays). Scatter 1 crushed garlic clove (or confit garlic clove) on top of each pepperoni pile. If you’re using tinned crushed tomatoes, mix them with 1 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Spoon the pizza sauce or crushed tomatoes on top, then scatter over the mozzarella.
- Layer on the pastry. Unwrap your puff pastry sheet, then slice it into six equal rectangles (check that it will cover and encase your filling before slicing!) Place it on top of your arranged filling, using your fingers to press down and seal around the edges.
- Egg wash the pastry. Whisk the egg in a small bowl or mug, then use a pastry brush and brush it all over the top of the exposed pastry. Scatter the grated parmesan all over the pasty, then transfer to the oven for 20 minutes, until deeply golden and crispy.
- Garnish and serve. After 20 minutes, the pastry should be looking gorgeously golden brown and at this point, they’re ready to remove from the oven. Carefully remove the tray, then use a spatula or fish slice to flip the tarts over. Drizzle the sweet chilli jam over each tart, then scatter the basil on top. Enjoy right away, while crispy, oozy and gooey.
Notes
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: The tarts are best served right after cooking, so they’re at their maximum crispiness and cheesiness. You can store them in the fridge for 2 days though – they just won’t be as crispy if you reheat them.
INGREDIENT NOTES: You can really play around here – swap out pepperoni for prosciutto, cooked bacon or cooked chicken (it’s a great way to use up leftovers), or load it up with sundried tomatoes and jarred artichokes.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: snacks
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tart
Keywords: puff pastry tarts, pizza tarts
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