This spring vegetable tart only looks hard to make and would be a perfect centerpiece for any special occasion. Just put it out on the table a little bit early so everyone can get their Instagramming in. As long as you use a wide array of colorful vegetables and tuck them into a tangled base of greens, this easy cheese tart/salad can't help but look gorgeous.Ingredients | Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Recipes Dessert
2 sheets frozen puff pastry
1 large egg
1 teaspoon water
1 ¼ cups goat cheese
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 ½ tablespoons chopped dill
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon thyme
¼ cup heavy cream
1 cup Romanesco broccoli florets
¾ cup bias-sliced, trimmed fresh asparagus spears
¾ cup bias-sliced carrots
8 sugar snap peas
2 cups colorful mixed salad greens, or as needed
¼ cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
kosher salt to taste
¼ cup thinly sliced watermelon radish
¼ pint sliced cherry tomatoes
1 sprig fresh dill, torn
1 drizzle olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place 1 round of frozen puff pastry, parchment-side down, on a baking sheet.
Remove 1 piece of parchment from the other puff pastry round. Place a plate upside-down onto the pastry. Run a knife along the rim to cut a border out of the circle.
Beat egg and water together; brush over the puff pastry on the baking sheet. Carefully remove the outer ring from the other round and line it over the edges of the brushed pastry. Brush more egg wash over the border. Prick bottom crust with a fork.
Bake in the preheated oven until light golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Immediately press the bottom of a fork onto the bottom crust to flatten it.
Combine goat cheese, salt, pepper, cayenne, dill, parsley, and lemon thyme in a bowl. Pour in the rest of the egg wash and cream. Mix until smooth. Spoon filling onto the center of the crust and spread it out toward the border.
Continue baking until cheese filling is set and crust is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes more. Let tart cool while preparing the topping.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water. Boil Romanesco, asparagus, carrots, and snap peas, uncovered, until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately immerse in the ice water for several minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain.
Toss mixed greens with a little olive oil; place on top of the tart.
Toss blanched vegetables with salt, remaining olive oil, and lemon juice. Arrange on top of the mixed greens. Tuck radishes and tomatoes into the mixture. Peel away half of each snap pea pod to expose the peas inside; arrange over the tart. Tuck in dill fronds and drizzle some more olive oil on top.
Use 2 to 3 cups of any bite-sized fresh vegetables you prefer. Blanching is my favorite way to prep them, but you can go with anything raw, roasted, or pickled. 1/4 cup of any freshly chopped herbs will work, such as dill, parsley, thyme, tarragon, basil, chives, etc.
Feel free to use your favorite salad dressing.
This tart can be made with any type of shell, round or rectangular, including pie crust, phyllo, etc.
Any soft cheese will work for the filling, but I think the tanginess of the goat cheese is an important factor, so if you use something milder, you may want to sneak in some lemon juice.
Info | Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Recipes Dessert
prep:
45 mins
cook:
25 mins
total:
1 hr 10 mins
Servings:
8
Yield:
1 10-inch tart