Savory Tart with Potatoes and Cherry Tomatoes in Air Fryer, with Basil and Pine Nuts
A crispy savory tart with potatoes, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and pine nuts, quickly cooked in the Air Fryer.
Steps
- 1
Preheat the Air Fryer to 180°C (350°F).
- 2
In a pan, heat olive oil and sauté onion and garlic until translucent. Add potato slices and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
- 3
Place puff pastry in a dish suitable for the Air Fryer. Prick the base with a fork.
- 4
Spread the potato-onion mixture over the pastry. Top with cherry tomato halves. Sprinkle basil, Parmesan, and pine nuts.
- 5
Cook in the Air Fryer for 12-15 minutes, until pastry is golden and potatoes are tender.
- 6
Serve warm, optionally with a green salad.
Shopping list
puff pastry, potato, cherry tomatoes, onion, garlic, fresh basil, grated Parmesan, pine nuts, olive oil, salt, black pepper
Recipe story
This savory tart combines the rustic tradition of potato pies from Mediterranean cuisine, where the cherry tomato, brought from the Americas in the 16th century, was embraced by the gardens of Italy and Spain. Pine nuts, harvested from pines around the Mediterranean since antiquity, were considered a precious food by the Romans. The modern recipe uses the Air Fryer to achieve a crispy texture without excessive frying.
Ingredient Secrets
Black pepper
Known as 'black gold' in antiquity, pepper was so valuable that it served as currency and tribute. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the pepper trade, and individual peppercorns were often counted. Legend has it that when Alaric, king of the Visigoths, demanded tribute from Rome, he included 3,000 pounds of pepper.
Sea salt
Sea salt, extracted from ocean waters by evaporation, was one of the most precious goods of antiquity, used both as food and as currency. In ancient Rome, soldiers were paid with salt, which is the origin of the word 'salary'. Salt roads connected entire civilizations, and in the Middle Ages, salt was so valuable it was called 'white gold'.
Garlic
Native to Central Asia, garlic was already known in ancient Egypt, where it was given to slaves to boost their strength. In ancient Greece, athletes consumed it before competitions, and in Rome, legionaries considered it essential for courage. During the Middle Ages, it was used to ward off vampires and the plague.
Onion
Probably originating in Central or West Asia, onions were cultivated in ancient Egypt, where they were considered a symbol of eternity and placed in tombs. In ancient Greece, athletes ate them to balance their blood, and in Rome, they were a staple food for soldiers. During the Middle Ages, onions were believed to protect against arrows and the plague.
Olive oil
Originating in the Mediterranean basin, olive oil was already produced in ancient Crete 5,000 years ago. In ancient Greece, it was considered a gift from Athena and used in lamps, cosmetics, and religious ceremonies. The Romans spread it throughout the empire, and in the Middle Ages, monasteries preserved the tradition of its production.
Cloves
Cloves, the dried buds of the exotic Syzygium aromaticum tree, were one of the most prized spices of the ancient world, often called 'aromatic gold'. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the clove trade, bringing them from the Maluku Islands, the only place they grew, and selling them at exorbitant prices in Europe.
Potato
Although today it seems indispensable on the table, the potato was long viewed with suspicion in Europe. Arriving from the Andes in the 16th century, it was considered a diabolical plant, even poisonous, due to its toxic leaves and fruits. It wasn't until the 18th century, thanks to promoters like Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, that the potato became a staple food, saving Europe from famine.
Tomato
Although today the tomato is indispensable in global cuisine, it was long viewed with suspicion in Europe, considered a toxic ornamental plant. It wasn't until the 19th century that Italian immigrants popularized it in the United States, turning it into an iconic ingredient of Mediterranean cuisine. Native to South America, the tomato was domesticated in Mexico and brought to Europe by Spanish conquistadors.
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