Veggie Colorful Flaky Tart (Printable Version)
A flaky pastry tart topped with fresh zucchini, bell peppers, spinach, and a creamy cheese blend.
# What You Need:
→ Pastry
01 - 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry (approximately 8.8 oz)
02 - 1 egg, beaten (optional, for brushing)
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 3.5 oz baby spinach leaves
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - ½ teaspoon salt
12 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
→ Filling
13 - 5.3 oz crème fraîche or sour cream
14 - 3.5 oz grated Gruyère or cheddar cheese
15 - 2 large eggs
16 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
17 - ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
18 - Salt and pepper to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 9-inch tart tin with the pastry sheet, trimming any excess. Prick the base with a fork and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté red onion for 2 minutes. Add zucchini and bell peppers; cook for 5 minutes until slightly softened. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Season with thyme, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - In a bowl, whisk together crème fraîche, eggs, grated cheese, Dijon mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until smooth.
04 - Remove the tart shell from the refrigerator. Evenly spread the filling mixture over the pastry base. Distribute the sautéed vegetables evenly atop the filling. Arrange the cherry tomato halves, cut side up, over the vegetables.
05 - Optionally brush the exposed pastry edges with beaten egg. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the filling is set and pastry is golden brown.
06 - Allow the tart to cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It looks restaurant-worthy but comes together faster than you'd expect, perfect for when people are coming over and you want to feel confident.
- The vegetables stay bright and slightly crisp instead of turning mushy, which somehow makes the whole thing taste fresher.
- You can prep everything ahead and bake it right before serving, which means you're actually relaxed when your guests arrive.
02 -
- Don't skip chilling the pastry base; it prevents shrinkage and gives you actual pastry edges instead of a flat, sad crust that's disappeared into the tin.
- Cook your vegetables only until they're just softened, because they will continue cooking in the oven and mushy vegetables are the main reason homemade tarts disappoint.
- The filling should jiggle just slightly in the very center when you pull it out; it will finish cooking and firm up completely as it cools, and overcooking it makes it dense and rubbery.
03 -
- Line your tart tin with parchment before adding the pastry, and you can slide the whole thing out to slice at the table like you actually know what you're doing.
- If the pastry edges start browning too quickly, tent them loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking so the top and filling get done without burning the crust.