Sicilian Blood Orange and Anchovy Tartlets
These exquisite tartlets offer a vibrant explosion of Sicilian flavors, balancing the sweet-tart intensity of blood oranges with the briny depth of anchovies. A delicate puff pastry base provides a crisp counterpoint to the rich, zesty filling, making for a truly unforgettable appetizer.

Prep Time
90 min
Difficulty
Hard
Servings
12
Calories
280 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease the tartlet pans.
- 2
Roll out the puff pastry sheets to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out circles slightly larger than your tartlet pans and press them into the pans. Prick the bottoms with a fork.
~15 min - 3
Bake the pastry shells for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.
~15 min - 4
While the pastry cools, prepare the blood orange segments. Zest one blood orange and set aside. Peel and segment the remaining 3 blood oranges, ensuring all pith is removed. Cut each segment in half.
~10 min - 5
Finely chop the anchovy fillets and basil leaves.
~3 min - 6
In a small bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, chopped anchovies, chopped basil, olive oil, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until well combined and smooth.
~5 min - 7
Fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip (or simply use a spoon) with the ricotta mixture. Pipe or spoon the filling into the cooled pastry shells.
~7 min - 8
Arrange the halved blood orange segments artfully on top of the ricotta filling in each tartlet.
~5 min - 9
Dust lightly with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve immediately.
Tips
- For a more intense sour flavor, you can add a tablespoon of fresh blood orange juice to the ricotta mixture.
- These tartlets are best served fresh, but leftover filling can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Re-pipe onto fresh pastry shells just before serving.
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