Crab Galettes for Christmas parties

These tarts are perfect for Christmas or NYE entertaining cocktail parties. The tart shells are so easy to make and you can make them the day before along with the filling and then put it together before you serve them. Make sure to use good quality crab meat-I use the fresh cooked crab meat that comes vacuum packed (not tinned).

Crab Galettes

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Makes 24 individual tarts

• 10 sheets filo pastry
• 100g/3.5ozs butter, melted or olive oil spray
• 250g/8.8ozs. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 red capsicum/pepper, finely diced
• 1/4 cup green onions
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese
• 1-2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon
• 280g/10ozs. crab meat
• Smoked paprika to sprinkle on top

Step 1 - Butter or oil 2x 12 hole cupcake trays. Brush a layer of filo pastry with butter or oil and then butter each sheet layering them until you use 5 sheets. Repeat with another 5 sheets of pastry. Cut out pastry to fit cupcake cavities (you can make these quite shallow). Bake at 220C/440F for 10-13 minutes or until golden brown.

Step 2 - Mix the cream cheese, capsicum, onions, mayonnaise, cheese, lemon zest, Old Bay seasoning and tarragon together in a food processor until smooth and then stir in the crab (I prefer the crab to have a bit of texture so I stir it in last, rather than putting it in the food processor). Then spoon into the cooked tart shells. You can eat them as they are or you can serve them warm by baking them for 15 minutes at 180C/350F. Sprinkle with the paprika.