Clare Andrews

Air fried pastry wraps with asparagus, tomato & pesto

We had some left over pastry from a dish I did earlier in the week so I gave these little scrummy things a try. Once you start experimenting with ingredients and different recipes it really does become possible to avoid food waste. Not only is that better for the planet but it’s also better for you bank balance. Why spend good money on food that then get thrown out simply because it was a ‘left-over’ from a different recipe or meal? Many of my recipes start out because I am looking for innovative ways to use up left-over ingredients that would otherwise go to waste. These air fried pastry wraps started out exactly for that reason. Avoiding wasting the left over pastry. And they were delicious as a light lunch.

I find that being creative in the kitchen. Not only helps reduce waste but also leads to discovering new and exciting flavour combinations. It encourages a sense of culinary adventure. Pushing you to try different ingredients and techniques that you might not have considered otherwise. Plus, there’s something incredibly satisfying about turning what could have been discarded into a delicious, satisfying meal.

These air fried asparagus wraps are also a great way to introduce more vegetables into your diet, especially for picky eaters. The combination of flaky pastry and tasty fillings can make vegetables like asparagus more appealing. You can sneak in a variety of veggies and even fruits. Like sliced apples or pears, for a sweet and savoury option.

Ingredients

1 sheet of pre-rolled puff pastry

2 tomatoes, sliced

Two tablespoons of green pesto

2 tablespoons of grated parmesan

A bunch of fresh asparagus

Fresh green salad leaves

1 egg beaten

Method

All I did was cut three equal sized squares of the puff pastry then spread on the green pesto with a sprinkle of parmesan. Next I added the asparagus and cut tomatoes on top of the pastry and pesto. I beat an egg then washed the edges of the pastry. I folded the two opposite corners of the pastry squares into the middle to form a wrap around the asparagus. Then I carefully placed the pastry parcels into the air fryer drawer on a piece of grease proof paper then cooked on 180c for 10 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden.

I served my air fried pastry wraps with a crisp green salad.

You could also serve these as a great little appetiser, one on its own is enough to get the taste buds firing but also won’t ruin someone’s appetite for the main event.

Don’t worry if you don’t have these exact filling lurking around in your fridge. Get creative and use what you do have. Bell peppers, courgette, and mushrooms would all work equally well in this recipe. Raid the fridge and see what combinations you can create. You’ll find that most of my recipes are flexible and lend themselves well to being adapted to fully suit your tastes and the foods you have at hand.

Click here to see more of my air fryer recipes or visit my Amazon shop front to order your copy of my best selling cookbooks.

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER