Whether you’re looking to host over the festive season, or you just want to add some seasonal magic to a cosy night in, my recipe is perfect for both. It’s the ultimate crowd pleaser, quick to assemble and looks beautiful on the table.
The flavours are bold; vibrant pesto, sweet tangy sun-dried tomatoes and a salty hit of parmesan – it’s the perfect balance of crispiness, creaminess and tanginess.
Ingredients:
- 2 x 320g sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
- 75g green or red pesto (I used green)
- 6-8 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 50g parmesan, finely grated and extra to serve
- 1 egg, beaten
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Unroll the two pastry sheets, keeping them on their baking parchment.
- Spread the pesto to evenly cover over one of the pastry sheets. Scatter the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, sprinkle over the parmesan and season with a little salt and pepper.
- Lay the second sheet of puff pastry on top and gently press to stick the two pastry sheets together. Remove the top layer of parchment.
- Using the full length of the puff pastry, cut out a Christmas tree shape, leaving enough room to cut out a stump at the bottom. Reserve the offcuts. Lift the tree on a large baking tree.
- To create the Christmas tree branches, cut horizontal lines into the sides of the tree, about 1cm apart, leaving a gap in the middle of the tree.
- Twist the strips of the pastry. Use Christmas cutters for the offcuts to decorate your tree and bake the remainder.
- Brush all your pastry with the beaten egg. Bake for around 20 minutes, until puffed, golden and crisp.
- Grate some parmesan over the top, serve hot and enjoy.
Top Tip:
This recipe is versatile and can be easily amended so don’t be scared to switch up the flavours, try using a mix of cheeses and/or pesto’s.
