Last Minute Dinner Party is a guide for any gathering – whether it’s an impromptu meal with a neighbour or a Friday night dinner party with your closest friends.

Here’s a yummy recipe to try ….

CONFIT TARTS

14 ounces (400g) cherry tomatoes, mix of colours

1/3 cup (75ml) olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 sheet puff pastry, 9 to 14 ounces/250-400g (brands vary – look for all butter)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan

12 sage leaves

Salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

While the oven is heating up, place the tomatoes in a deep sheet pan that just fits them snugly, pour over the ⅓ cup (75ml) olive oil, and season. Crush the garlic in its skin and add to the sheet pan, then cook in the oven for 15 minutes. (Keep an eye on the garlic, as you want them squidgy but not coloured.)

Cut the pastry into 4 x 5-inch (12-cm) circles. Use a sharp knife to make a ¼-inch (5-mm) border around the edge of the pastry and slash the inside at a diagonal. Brush the pastry with the mustard and sprinkle the Parmesan over the top. Add the confit tomatoes to the top, removing the excess oil (otherwise they risk slipping off), and tuck a now-peeled garlic clove under the tomatoes (so it doesn’t burn). Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a small pan over medium heat until warm, add the sage leaves, and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute until crispy. Remove the sage with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, then sprinkle with sea salt. Drape the sage over the cooked tarts to serve.

MAKE AHEAD:

Confit tomatoes can be made up to 3 days in advance, and left in the refrigerator submerged in oil. The finished tarts will sit at room temperature for a few hours, but crisp the sage before serving.

(Photography: Lisa Linder)