Cashew and Basil Tartlets

When I was planning the menu for my dinner party this past Monday I knew I needed to have a mixture of recipes that I were from my repetoire and a few recipes I had never tried before. Usually you aren't supposed to try new recipes when having guests over but I couldn't just serve bread and cheese for an appetizer (not that there is ANYTHING wrong with that..good cheese and bread is heavenly) because my guests had been listening to me go on and on about how much I love to cook. So I felt that I needed to impress. That's when I turned to my Finger Food cookbook from The Australian Women's Weekly.

I had already made some olive tarts (puff pastry, feta, and olives) and had leftover puff pastry dough so I decided to make Cashew and Basil Tartlets. The recipe called for fresh basil which I had just used up the night before for homemade pesto so I decided that the pesto would work fine in its place. The result was quite tasty. My only complaint is that they're called Cashew and Basil Tarts. You can't taste the cashews at all.



Cashew and Basil Tartlets
c. 1998, The Australian Women's Weekly Cookbooks

3 sheets ready rolled shortcrust pastry
paprika

FILLING:
1 oz. butter
1 onion, finely chopped
4 oz. packet cream cheese
1 oz. butter, extra
1/4 cup roasted cashew nuts
2 T. chopped fresh basil
1 egg yolk
1/4 c. cream (or milk)
1/4 c. grated fresh parmesean cheese

Cut 2 inch rounds from pastry, press into lightly greased (or non stick) mini muffin pans, prick well with fork. Bake in moderately hot oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned, remove from pan to wire rack.

Filling: Heat butter in pan, add onion, cook, stirring, until onion is soft. Blend or process remaining ingredients until smooth, stir in onion mixture.

Just before serving, spoon filling into mini tartlets and bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkly lightly with paprika just before serving.

Makes about 60.

Note: Pastry tartlets and filling can be prepared a day ahead.