These pesto puff pastries take just 15 minutes to prepare... and disappear even faster!
When you're short on time but still fancy something tasty, puff pastry is often a safe bet. But you still need to find a quick, efficient and truly gourmet version...
Good news: these air-fried pesto mozzarella puff pastries tick all the boxes. Few ingredients, almost no preparation and express cooking. In just a few minutes, you have puff pastries that are golden brown on the outside, with a melting, fragrant center.
It's the perfect kind of recipe for an impromptu aperitif, a quick starter or to accompany a salad without spending hours in the kitchen ;)
Why this recipe works every time
The combo is simple, but frighteningly effective!
The puff pastry provides the crunch, the pesto adds effortless flavor, and the mozzarella melts just enough to bind it all together.
And the air fryer does the rest. It cooks quickly and evenly, without turning on the oven or keeping an eye on it for hours.
The result: crispy puff pastries on the outside, melting on the inside, in less than 15 minutes ;)
Necessary ingredients
For about 4 people, you will need :
- 1 puff pastry
- 4 Tbsp green pesto
- 3.5 oz grated or diced mozzarella cheese
- 1 egg yolk
That's all there is to it. And that's what makes this recipe so practical.
How to prepare pesto mozzarella puff pastries
- Start by rolling out the puff pastry on a work surface.
- Spread the pesto generously over the entire surface. There's no need to spread it too thickly, but be sure to cover the dough so that each bite is fragrant.
- Then add the mozzarella evenly.
- Roll the dough on itself to form a tight sausage. If your dough is round, simply fold over the protruding edges. With rectangular dough, rolling is even easier.
- Then cut slices about 2.3 to 2.7 inches (6 to 7 cm) thick. You can make them smaller if you want bite-size puff pastries.
- Line the basket of the air fryer with baking paper, then arrange the puff pastries, spacing them slightly apart. This allows the pastry to puff up during baking.
- Brush with egg yolk.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 370°F/190°C, turning them over halfway through to ensure even browning.
Easy variations for a change
These puff pastries can easily be adapted to whatever you have on hand.
For example, you can :
- add sun-dried tomatoes
- slip in a few black olives
- sprinkle with parmesan
- add pine nuts
The green pesto can also be replaced by pesto rosso or arugula pesto to vary the flavours.
How to store and reheat puff pastries
Once baked, puff pastries can be stored up to 48 hours in the refrigerator, in an airtight tin.
To restore their crispness, always use :
- the air fryer
- or the oven
Avoid the microwave, which softens puff pastry.
These air-fried pesto mozzarella puff pastries are proof that you can make something really good with just a few ingredients.
Quick, crisp and melt-in-your-mouth, they're ideal when you want to treat yourself without complicating your life.
A recipe to keep on hand for busy days... or impromptu aperitifs ;)
Adèle Peyches
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