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Traditional Russain Olivier Salad Tartlets

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
1 hour
Total Time 1 hour
Course Appetizer
Servings 6
Calories 95 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Olivier Filling:

  • 3 medium potatoes about 400g, boiled, cooled and peeled
  • 2 medium carrots boiled, cooled and peeled
  • 4 large eggs hard-boiled and cooled
  • 200 g 7 oz cooked chicken breast or bologna-style beef/chicken sausage
  • 4 –5 medium dill pickles gherkins, finely diced
  • 1 cup 150g frozen peas, thawed, or canned peas well drained
  • 1 small white onion or 4 spring onions, finely chopped
  • ¾ cup 180g full-fat mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon pickle brine from the jar
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

For Assembly and Garnish:

  • 24 –30 ready-made mini savoury tartlet shells
  • Fresh dill sprigs for garnish
  • Thin pickle slices small egg cubes, or olive halves for garnish
  • Paprika for dusting optional

Instructions
 

  • Boil the vegetables and eggs. Place unpeeled potatoes and carrots in a pot of cold salted water.
    Boil 25–30 minutes until a knife slides in easily. Hard-boil eggs separately for 10–12 minutes. Transfer all to ice water to cool. Peel and refrigerate until ready. This can be done the day before.
  • Dice everything uniformly. Cut potatoes, carrots, eggs, chicken or sausage, and pickles into small even dice about ½ cm. Chop the onion as finely as possible. Uniform cutting ensures every tartlet has a little of everything.
  • Make the dressing. Whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and pickle brine in a small bowl until smooth.
  • Combine the filling. Add all diced ingredients and peas to a large bowl. Pour the dressing over and fold gently until everything is evenly coated. Season well with salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust.
  • Chill the filling. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. This firms up the filling and deepens the flavour. Do not skip this step.
  • Fill the tartlet shells. Remove shells from packaging just before serving. Using a small spoon or piping bag, fill each shell generously, mounding slightly above the rim.
  • Garnish and serve. Top each tartlet with a small dill sprig, a pickle slice, or a tiny piece of egg. Arrange on a platter and serve.
    Fill no more than 30–45 minutes before serving to keep shells crispy.

Notes

NOTES
Make ahead: The filling keeps in the fridge up to 3 days. Only fill the shells 30–45 minutes before serving so they stay crispy.
Protein swap: Use smoked chicken, canned tuna, or poached salmon instead of boiled chicken or sausage.
Lighter version: Replace half the mayonnaise with full-fat Greek yogurt and add an extra teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
Vegetarian: Omit the meat entirely and add diced cooked beetroot or canned chickpeas.
Shell alternatives: Mini phyllo cups, vol-au-vent cases, hollowed cucumber rounds, or endive leaves all work instead of pastry tartlet shells.