A recipe for Pesto and Feta Pastries that pair perfectly with a Bloody Mary!
I think that brunch is one of my favourite meals, (at this point I can almost hear numerous people saying “but Helen you say that about every meal!”, but you know I really, really, really like brunch). A substantial breakfast, with non traditional breakfast foods, and, if the occasion is right, a cheeky Bloody Mary to accompany it. Brunch works at home or out, with a group or on your own.
A good brunch dish will contain the holy grail of carbohydrate, some fat, and ideally a runny egg. My perfect brunch is probably eggs Benedict and is what I nearly always order in hotels for breakfast or when out for brunch. By the time brunch time comes along, then the ideal accompaniment is a good Bloody Mary, made with a premium vodka such as Ketel One.
I love tomato juice and will nearly always make myself, or order a classic Bloody Mary – nicely spicy, with a good squeeze of lemon and served with some celery salt, but for those who do not like tomato juice, or who would like to ring the changes, Ketel One has a World Class Brunch menu, with 10 different Bloody Mary’s to suit every taste and dish. How about a beetroot Bloody Mary to accompany a Swedish smorgasbod, or an apple, pear and carrot juice based Bloody Mary to accompany a Brazilian based brunch?
My brunch dish is a simple puff pastry based pastry or tart, topped with pesto and cheese, and topped with the obligatory runny egg and some avocado and served of course with a Bloody Mary.
Love Feta? Here are some more ideas
Recipe: Pesto and Feta Pastries
Ingredients
- 1/2 packet puff pastry (all butter is better)
- 4 dsp pesto
- 100 g feta (cubed)
- 50 g cheddar cheese (grated)
- 4 eggs
- 2 avocado
Instructions
- Cut the pastry into 4 rectangles, and lightly score a line 1/2 cm round the edge of each one.
- Spread each rectangle of pastry with a spoon of pesto and top with the feta and cheddar.
- Bake the pastry as per the packet instructions until puffed, golden and the cheese has melted.
- Served topped with a poached egg, 1/2 a sliced avocado with a Ketel One Bloody Mary of your choice.
All Spice Mary
Ingredients
- 50 ml Ketel One Vodka
- 120 ml tomato juice
- 1 tsp horseradish
- 1 pinch salt (ground pepper and allspice)
- 1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
- Rim your glass with smoked paprika and salt before adding the ingredients to the glass. Stir vigorously and fill with ice. Garnish with a celery stalk, long cucumber slice and a float of sherry.
If you like a good breakfast pastry you make also like my cheesy baked bean pasties for breakfast – also made with easy to use puff pastry.
What is your favourite brunch dish, and what Bloody Mary would you pair with it?
Fuss Free Flavours encourages you to drink mindfully. For advice on sensible drinking please visit Drinkaware.
Recipe & post commissioned by Ketel One Vodka. all opinions our own.
Jenny
I’ haven’t drunk during the day since my children came along but I love the sound of these pastries. Have Pinned to make at the weekend!
Helen
I very rarely drink in the day, but really do enjoy a Bloody Mary for brunch on a weekend.
Emily Jayne
These look delicious – I sometimes make something similar with bacon and egg in them for brunch and they are so simple but look really impressive!!
Helen
Ready made puff pastry is your best friend for a kitchen short cut!
Camilla
Love these pesto feta pastries, and I too love brunch on a Sunday morning, sometimes a Saturday too if it’s been a particularly hard week. I’ve never had a bloody Mary but it does look good, in fact I don’t even think I’ve ever had vodka to my knowledge I really need to broaden my drinking horizons!
Helen
I am more of a gin drinker, but do have a bottle of vodka for Bloody Mary.
Neli @ Delicious Meets Healthy
I love this brunch idea!! Pesto & feta is one of my favorite combinations, never thought to have it for breakfast. and that runny egg yolk and avocado, yum!! Super healthy, and delicious!
Helen
It is a riff on avo toast with egg. I love brunch.
shobha
Perfect one for the week end. Will go for it.
Helen
The weekend is made for brunch!
Mayuri Patel
love the feta pesto pastries. Looks really good. Lovely brunch idea.
Helen
Ready made puff pastry is one of my favourite ingredients. I can make it from scratch, but really who bothers to?
Marissa @ OMG FOOD
Yes, yes, yes! Brunch is also one of my favorites. I love breakfast for dinner some nights. It’s the best thing. Feta is one of my favorite cheeses and I want to eat that pastry right now. I strangely have never made a bloody Mary, but enjoy having them when I go out for brunch. I’ll have to switch it up and make your recipe next time. Thanks for sharing these tasty recipes!
Helen
I prefer dinner for breakfast! I cannot remember the last time I had cereal.
Donna
These sound fantastic – and that egg yolk you have going on – perfection! I like your idea of a sneaky bloody mary as well :)
Helen
Runny egg makes almost everything better!
Holly Lamb
I like the egg and avocado combo. What a great brunch idea, especially with ready made pastry.
Helen
Egg and avocado is a match made in heaven.
Patricia
What a super looking bloody Mary, and the horseradish is a totally brilliant addition!
Helen
The horseradish is great, wish I had thought of it as the Bloody Mary recipe is from Ketel One!
Charlie @ The Kitchen Shed
Yummy! Anything that contains pesto, feta, eggs and avocado is always a winner for me! Looks beautiful!
Helen
Thanks Charlie, I love brunch and agree eggs and avocado are a must.