Tapenade Fish Tartlets
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Half puff pastry square sliced into strips; black olive tapenade spread thick. Tilapia replaced by cod, sliced thin — skinless and mild. Shallots swap onion; adds slight sweetness. Fresh dill scattered last minute; bright and piney. Bake at hot 210 °C until puff blooms golden, crust crisp, and fish firm but yielding. Cut tartlets mid-warm—bite-sized, messy, sharp tapenade bites folded with flaky dough. Olive oil drizzle to finish, rich and glossy. Pantry hack: ready puff, easy weekend fix, pairs well with chilled white wine. Notice aroma shift; fish cooking, pastry transforming — smells to make hungry wait impatient. Rest small but tasty; perfect for snacking or starter bite. No nuts, lactose, eggs; crowd-pleaser with simple swaps.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
30 min
Total:
55 min
Servings:
12 bites
#seafood
#appetizer
#French-inspired
#snacks
#olive tapenade
#baking
Tapenade on puff pastry; fish nestled right in. Instead of tilapia, cod here—more forgiving, flakes clean, holds less water, so no sog. Must trim pastry just so, get right height for browning. Baking’s about eyes and touch. When puff inflates like golden pillow, edges grabbing color but not turning black, you’re close. Fish shows subtle change—no more glassy sheen. Shallots—not onion—build mild sweetness, easy to overdo or they drown the bite. Dill at the end lifts it like fresh breeze cutting through saltiness. Olive oil drizzle seals deal. Learned through trial—tapenade’s saltiness varies; best spread thin for balance. Resting cool helps crust firm up; serve blazing hot and pastry turns chewy, no fun. Handy snack, easy to scale for gatherings. Grew on me after first burnt edge; patience wins in oven choreography.
Ingredients
- 280 g commercial puff pastry, thawed and floured surface
- 50 ml black olive tapenade (about 3 + 1/2 tbsp) — preferably coarse texture
- 1 small cod fillet (~130 g), cut in thin slices crosswise, skin off
- 1 small shallot, thinly minced
- Fresh dill sprigs (optional, for garnish)
- Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle
- Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
About the ingredients
Frozen puff pastry—thaw not too long or it sticks, but pliable. Use a coarse black olive tapenade; smooth blends lose texture contrast. Cod substitutes tilapia as it flakes better without turning mushy. Shallots swap in for the onion—softer during baking, less bite, more caramel sweet notes. Dill’s optional but essential for freshness; parsley was too mild last time I tried. Olive oil drizzle makes a difference, adds shine and mouthfeel; don’t skip it. Salt smart—tapenade brings bold salt hit already. Prep thin fish slices carefully to avoid overcooked dry edges. For flaky puff, keep dough cold-ish before baking. Could swap fish for smoked salmon for different vibe; a touch richer.
Method
- Set oven rack center position; preheat to 210 °C (410 °F). Line baking tray with parchment to stop sticking and burnt bottoms.
- Flour surface lightly; roll pastry into a neat 28 cm (11 in) square. Don’t rush this or pastry will shrink oddly while baking.
- Trim edges to clean square; slice pastry into 4 long strips lengthwise (about 7 cm wide).
- Place strips spaced apart on parchment. Spread a generous, rustic coat of tapenade over each — don’t overdo or fish hides under saltiness.
- Lay cod slices perpendicular to length of pastry, spacing enough so edges don’t touch to prevent sticking together when baked.
- Scatter shallot evenly—watch quantity, too much makes tart soggy.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper—tilapia replaced with cod, so less salt needed; cod is subtle.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, eyes peeled: pastry puffs and turns golden; fish flesh turns from translucent to opaque, flakes gently when prodded; edges bronzed but not burnt.
- Remove while warm but not hot out of oven; let cool a bit to set filling and crisp crust fully.
- Cut each strip into rectangles (about 5 cm wide) to form neat bites with one fish slice each.
- Drizzle olive oil on top for shine and a touch of fruitiness. Garnish with dill if using – the fresh herb cuts through richness and adds complexity.
- Serve warm or room temperature. Great with crisp white wine or sparkling water to balance savory richness.
Cooking tips
Preheat rack in middle of oven for even heat. Parchment crucial—prevents burnt bottoms. Rolling pastry to exact square prevents weird puff shapes and uneven cooking. Spread tapenade thin but even; a mound ruins baking. Fish slices must not touch; will merge in oven and lose individual bites. Shallot scattered, not piled, else soggy pastry center. Salt and pepper light, adjust to your tapenade brand’s salt content. Watch oven closely last 10 minutes—color guides doneness. Edges too brown? Tent loose foil but keep baking till fish feels firm to touch. Cut when slightly cooled, warm keeps fish moist but pastry sets crisp. Drizzle olive oil last step—never before baking, oils can burn. Garnish herbs fresh; add after cooking always. Serve bites slightly warm; cold dulls flavor and gives tougher dough.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Keep puff pastry cold till last second before rolling. Warmer dough shrinks funny, messes with layering. Roll to a clean 28 cm square, no longer or you lose thickness. Flouring surface lightly; too much kills puff rise. Use parchment to avoid burnt bottoms -- burned tartlets ruin texture and flavor fast. Baking on middle rack ensures even heat, keeps fish from drying out while pastry browns. Timing’s everything; eyes peeled last 10 minutes means watching color not just timer. If edges brown too quick throw loose foil tent partway, lets inside catch up without ruining crust.
- 💡 Tapenade spread thin but not skimpy. Too much and fish gets lost or becomes salt swamp. Coarse texture tapenade preferred -- smooth loses bite contrast. Spread evenly, rustic coat; no clumps. Fish slices thin and spaced with room so they bake distinct, don’t merge or get gluey. Cod choice made for firm but mild; tilapia wetter, soggier crust. Shallots swapped onion to keep sweetness subtle, less sharp after baking. Scatter shallow, don’t pile or pastry soggy.
- 💡 Watch fish translucence; when it goes opaque you’re close. Tender flakes, not dry or stringy. Thin slices cook fast; thick kills texture. Baking 25-30 minutes mostly for pastry rise and golden sheen. Don’t overbake or edges bitter, fish dry. Remove tartlets warm but let rest briefly — helps filling set with crispy base. Cut while warm for flaky bites that hold shape, but not hot or filling too soft.
- 💡 Olive oil drizzle after baking avoids burning oil flavor, adds glossy, rich mouthfeel. Dill garnish optional but lifts bold savory tapenade. Parsley too soft in trials, lacked punch. Herbs fresh, added off heat to keep brightness. Salt cautiously — tapenade saltiness varies brands. Taste and adjust. Over-salting ruins balance fast, more so than under. Light cracked black pepper last step cuts fat, brings layers together.
- 💡 Substitutions viable: smoked salmon for cod adds richness, fishy tang. Shallots can swap sweeter onion but change flavor profile. Frozen puff OK but thaw under control; too soft and dough sticky, hard to roll, undercooks weird. Use parchment every time; skipping leads to stuck bottoms, breaks crisp texture. Watch oven hot spots; rotate pan midway if unsure. Keep spices minimal; let tapenade and fish star.
Common questions
Cod versus tilapia?
Cod flakes cleaner, holds less water. Tilapia sogs pastry sometimes. Texture difference big. Cod mild, subtle salt. Adjust seasoning. Tilapia works if handled thin, less moisture release.
Tapenade too salty?
Spread thinner, balance with less added salt. Use fresh dill or herbs — fresh brightness cuts salt heaviness. Olive oil drizzle softens punch. Can rinse tapenade for less salt but lose flavor nuance.
How to store leftovers?
Cool completely. Refrigerate airtight container few days. Reheat low temp in oven keeps crispness better than microwave. Freeze not ideal; puff pastry soggy returning. Serve warm or room temp; cold dulls flavors.
Messy tartlets, how fix?
Don’t overpile fish or tapenade. Space slices, thin coats, keep pastry edges trimmed neat. Rest after baking crucial for filling firm up. Cutting warm not hot prevents filling squeeze out. Use sharp knife to slice cleanly.
