Do you remember your first time having a peach? Somehow, the taste of peaches always brings me back to my childhood. For me, peaches mean summers in Spain, and how my parents would often make sangria for (our rather late) lunch. My dad would sometimes give me a little piece of peach, soaked in red wine (very lightly, don’t worry!). Every summer, as soon as they’re back in season, I love making any excuse to eat as many peaches as I can. And these savoury peach tartelettes with pistachio pesto are indeed a great excuse – especially with their uniquely flavourful pairing of peaches & Kaltbach cheese.

Kaltbach Le Crémeux is a truly magical cheese. Kaltbach is a 22 million-year-old natural sandstone labyrinth located in Switzerland that ages cheese like nowhere else in the world. There’s a river next to the cave that lends some humidity and gives a unique flavor to the Kaltbach family of cheeses. I should say it’s a bit on the expensive side – so if you don’t feel like spending too much money on cheese, then you could swap it out for some Comté, which is usually a bit easier to find. Of course, being French, I like good quality cheeses ? So I don’t mind spending a bit of money on better quality products from time to time.

This recipe is great for light, quick & easy dinners – or if you’re thinking of inviting some friends or family over, this would also be the perfect amuse-bouche for a cocktail party. For this recipe, I cut my pastry sheets into six pieces because I love small tartelettes and because it makes them easier to share – but you could also just make two large tarts if you prefer!

So please do yourself a favor and treat yourself to some peaches; they’re in season and they’re insanely delicious. Go to your local farmers’ market, eat some and try out the recipe!

Savoury Peach Tartelettes with Pistachio Pesto

~ makes 12 tartelettes ~

Ingredients:

Pistachio Pesto:

• 2 cups basil leaves
• ⅓ cup parmesan, grated
• ¼ cup shelled pistachios
• 1 large garlic clove
• generous pinch of salt and pepper
• ⅓ cup neutral oil like sunflower seed oil or olive oil*
  
  

Tartelettes:

• 2x 275g puff pastry sheets (rectangular shape)
• 1 cup Kaltbach Le Crémeux cheese or Comté Cheese, shredded
• some fig jam
• 3-4 peaches, sliced
• 1 egg, beaten
• pistachio pesto, to serve
  
  

Steps:

For the pistachio pesto:

1. Add all the ingredients – except oil – to a blender and blend roughly. 
2. While the blender is still running on low, slowly add the oil – little by little until combined.

For the peach tartelettes:

1. Preheat oven to 220°C.
2. Cut each puff pastry sheet into 6 pieces. 
3. Leaving some room along the border, top each piece with some fig jam (about 1-2 tsp.), then add the grated cheese and arrange the peach slices on top. 
4. Fold the edges of the pastry to enclose each tartelette. Brush the edges of each pastry with the beaten egg.
5. Transfer to oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the cheese has melted.
6. Remove from the oven and top with some pistachio pesto. Et voilà! Time to enjoy your savoury peach tartelettes ?
   
   

Recipe notes:

*So, this little tip that I got from a friend really changed my pesto game! When making pesto or other herb-based sauces, always try to use a neutral oil – such as sunflower seed oil. I used to make mine with olive oil, but when I use neutral oil, the flavours are much more fragrant. I tried making this pistachio pesto with both oils, and the sunflower seed version is definitely a win for me. It tastes great with olive oil too, but the olive taste is quite strong, so it tends to overpower the basil and pistachio flavours (which is what you really want to come through) – try it out yourself and see the difference!

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