These tarts make a great drinks snack or party starter, the pastry cases can be made 2-3 days in advance but keep them stored in an airtight container to keep them crisp. The filling shouldn’t be made too far in advance as the red onion’s flavour gets stronger with time.

250g puff pastry
250g smoked salmon roughly torn (50g reserved for garnish)
1 red onion roughly chopped
1 small celery stalk finely chopped
2t horseradish cream
6T crème fraiche
1t cayenne pepper
±2T lemon juice
I packet dill chopped (4T reserved for garnish)
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. On a floured surface cut the pastry into 4 squares and roll each one out to the thickness just higher than a R1 coin, prick them with a fork and line four 10cm loose bottom tartlet tins.
3. Press the pastry into each tin until smooth with no air bubbles, cut off any excess pastry, line with wax paper and fill with baking beans and allow to rest in the fridge for ±30 minutes.
4. While the pastry cases are resting place the salmon, red onion and celery stalks in a food processor and blend until well incorporated. To that add the horseradish and crème fraiche and pulse for another 30 seconds.
5. Fold in the remaining lemon juice, cayenne pepper and dill. Season to taste and allow to rest in the fridge until pastry cases are cooked.
6. While the salmon mixture is resting place the tart case on a baking tray and cover the edges with tin foil (to stop them from burning). Place cases in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
7. Remove the baking beans, tin foil and pastry cases and bake for a further 5-10 minutes, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pastry tins (helps the pastry keep its shape and protects it).
8. Once cooled, take the pastry cases out the tins and divide the salmon mixture into each one. Garnish with salmon and dill and serve.

Makes 4 tartlets (try smaller cut out shapes with the pastry to make more of a cocktail snack)

Wickedfood Cooking School

Sunninghill – (011) 234-3252 sunninghill@wickedfood.co.za

Wickedfood cooking school runs Johannesburg cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built cooking studios. Cooking lessons are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – team building cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference.

Our classes are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and teambuilding cooking classes these classes are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.