Deliciously Easy Pesto, Cheese & Egg Breakfast Tarts: Your Ultimate Brunch

Pesto, Cheese and Egg Breakfast Tarts are an elegant and delicious way to start your day, delivering a perfect balance of savory, flaky, and creamy flavors. Imagine a crisp, buttery puff pastry shell, filled with a vibrant basil pesto and melty mozzarella, with a perfectly cooked egg nestled in the center. These tarts are surprisingly easy to make and are a stunning centerpiece for any brunch, holiday gathering, or special breakfast.

This recipe celebrates the art of flavor layering, proving that impressive results don’t require complex techniques. The combination of classic Italian-inspired ingredients with a simple bake creates a rich, satisfying, and beautiful dish that is sure to become a beloved favorite. You can visit our New York for more delicious recipes.

Why You’ll Love This Dish

Feature	Benefit
Effortlessly Elegant	Looks sophisticated but is simple to assemble and bake.
Flaky Perfection	Puff pastry bakes up into an incredibly light and buttery crisp.
Savory & Rich	A combination of pesto, cheese, and egg creates a decadent filling.
Customizable	Easily adjust the doneness of the egg yolks to your liking.
Crowd-Pleasing	A delicious and beautiful dish that’s perfect for entertaining.

An Overview of Flavors and Textures

The Pesto, Cheese and Egg Breakfast Tarts are a delightful symphony of rich flavors and satisfying textures.

The puff pastry serves as the tart’s shell, baking into a beautifully golden, flaky, and buttery crust. This delicate crispness provides a perfect foundation for the warm, savory filling.

The filling itself is a celebration of classic Italian flavors. A base of savory basil pesto provides an aromatic and herbaceous depth, while the generous layer of shredded mozzarella cheese melts into a gooey, savory, and luscious blanket.

At the center of it all is a perfectly cooked egg, with a tender white and a rich, runny yolk that becomes a delicious sauce for the entire tart. The pastry’s edges are seasoned with everything spice, adding a toasted, savory crunch, and the final garnish of fresh chives and basil adds a vibrant, fresh finish.

You’re right! That paragraph is quite long and can definitely be broken down for better readability. My apologies for that oversight.

Here’s the revised text from “The Star of the Show” section, broken into shorter, more digestible paragraphs:

---

The Star of the Show: The Rich Pesto and Cheesy Egg Center

While the flaky puff pastry is what gives this dish its elegance, the true defining characteristic and “star” of these Pesto, Cheese and Egg Breakfast Tarts is the combination of the rich pesto and cheesy egg center.

This delicious filling is what makes the dish so satisfying and memorable. The pesto provides a deep, savory, and herbaceous foundation that is perfectly complemented by a thick layer of melty mozzarella.

The egg, cooked directly in the center, brings a tender texture and, most importantly, a rich, creamy yolk that mingles with the pesto and cheese, creating a luxurious sauce in every bite.

This harmonious blend of flavors and textures in the tart’s core is the key to its irresistible and addictive appeal.

How to Make Your Pesto, Cheese & Egg Breakfast Tarts

These tarts are surprisingly easy to make. The key is in preparing the puff pastry correctly and chilling the assembled tarts before baking to ensure a perfect, golden, and flaky crust.

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Chilling Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes Servings: 4 tarts Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

Component	Amount	Ingredient	Notes
For the Tarts:	1 sheet	Puff pastry	Thawed
	1 cup	Basil pesto	Homemade or store-bought
	1 cup	Shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
	5 large	Eggs	4 for the tarts, 1 for egg wash
	1 tablespoon	Everything spice
For Serving:	As needed	Fresh chives, chopped
	As needed	Fresh basil, chopped
	As needed	Extra pesto	For drizzling

Instructions

1. Prepare Puff Pastry: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, gently roll out the puff pastry sheet into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Cut the pastry into 4 equal rectangles. Prick each rectangle with a fork several times to prevent it from puffing up too much in the center. Transfer the rectangles to the prepared baking sheet.
2. Assemble the Tarts: Spread about 2 tablespoons of basil pesto evenly in the center of each tart, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded mozzarella on top of the pesto. Carefully fold the edges of the pastry in slightly to create a small, raised border that will help contain the filling.
3. Chill and Add Eggs: Place the assembled tarts in the freezer for 10 minutes. This is a crucial step that helps the puff pastry hold its shape during baking. Remove the tarts from the freezer. Carefully push the cheese aside in the center to make a small well in each tart. Crack one large egg into each well, being careful not to break the yolk.
4. Finish & Bake: Lightly beat the fifth egg in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to brush the borders of the puff pastry with the egg wash. Sprinkle the borders and the top of the tarts with everything spice. Bake for 10–12 minutes. For a runny yolk, bake closer to 10 minutes; for a more set yolk, bake for the full 12 minutes.
5. Serve: Remove the tarts from the oven. Garnish with chopped fresh chives, basil, and a drizzle of extra pesto. Serve immediately while warm.

Expert Tips for Your Breakfast Tarts

Category	Tip
Puff Pastry	Keeping the puff pastry cold until it goes into the oven is key to achieving a light and flaky crust.
Egg Doneness	Watch the eggs carefully as they bake. A quick 10-12 minute window is crucial for getting the yolk to your desired doneness.
Chilling	Don’t skip the 10-minute chilling step in the freezer. It helps the pastry’s layers set and prevents them from shrinking.
Cheese Choice	Low-moisture mozzarella is recommended for its gooey melt, but other cheeses like provolone or Gruyère work well too.
Serving Fresh	These tarts are best served warm from the oven to enjoy the crisp pastry and runny yolk.

Conclusion: Your Deliciously Easy & Elegant Brunch

The Pesto, Cheese and Egg Breakfast Tarts are a true testament to the fact that you can create an elegant and delicious meal with surprising ease. With their flaky pastry, savory filling, and a perfectly cooked egg, they are the perfect centerpiece for any brunch. Easy to make and incredibly satisfying, this Pesto, Cheese and Egg Breakfast Tarts recipe is sure to become a beloved favorite in your kitchen.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I make these tarts ahead of time? You can assemble the tarts (without the egg) and chill them for up to 4 hours in the refrigerator. Crack the eggs on top and bake just before serving.

What other cheeses can I use? You could substitute mozzarella with crumbled goat cheese for a tangy kick or with provolone for a sharper flavor.

Can I use a different type of pesto? While basil pesto is a classic, you could use a sun-dried tomato pesto or even a red pepper pesto for a different flavor profile.

What is everything spice? Everything spice, or everything bagel seasoning, is a savory blend that typically includes sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, and flaky salt.

Print