Tune into Fox 4 KDFW this morning, Monday October 8th, about 9:30, to see me making one of my most favorite things, tarts!

Tarts have humble beginnings.  Originally they were served as a way to stretch protein and ingredients into additional meals.  If you have a crust on hand, cheese and eggs, you can have a tart for dinner tonight!

I love to make tarts for so many reasons, for starters they are pretty.  You can make a rustic version, like my Caprese Tart, simply folding the puff pastry crust back over the tart or for a classier tart, like in my Peach and Blueberry, use a bottomless pan to give you the pretty fluted edge.

In my home I often have leftover salmon or chicken.  Adding this extra protein to a prepared crust, along with vegetables, cheese and eggs, and I can have a beautiful tart in the oven in a matter of minutes.

Tarts can be sweet or savory.  Generally, savory tarts include an egg custard filling that acts as the glue to hold everything together.

After spending time in commercial kitchen in Paris, I learned foolproof strategies for creating the very best savory tarts! Start by getting your crust into a baking tin or dish.  Next, arrange all of the goodies, the cheese, meat and vegetables evenly over the crust. Mix up fresh eggs with salt, pepper and a dash of milk or cream, not too much, or the tart won’t set.  Last, pour the egg mixture slowly into the center of the tart and let it seep into all the crevasses.  Place the tart onto a baking sheet and into the oven until the tart is puffed and brown.  Let tarts set 10 minutes before serving with a salad for a bistro style lunch or dinner.

Fruit tarts are really straightforward. Crust + fruit and a little sugar = dessert heaven.  If you use frozen fruit, always add about 1 tablespoon of flour to the sugar and fruit before you pop it into the crust.  This will help absorb the extra moisture created by the freezing process.

The humble tart, a crust, a filling and a fork is all you need! Bon Appetit.

Caprese Tart

1 sheet puff pastry

10 eggs

¼ cup milk or cream

1 cup grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese

3 medium tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick

10 leaves fresh basil cut in a chiffonade

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degree.  Unfold puff pastry sheet and eliminate creases by rolling it out on a floured surface. Place the pastry into a 9 inch pie plate allowing the corners to hang over.  Sprinkle an even layer of Gruyere cheese in the bottom of the crust.  In a mixing bowl combine eggs, salt, pepper, milk and basil and beat until well blended.  Pour egg mixture into the crust.  Top with tomatoes in a single layer, don’t worry if they sink.  Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly over the top and fold the corners of the pastry over the filling.  Bake the tart for 40-45 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

 

Chicken Red Bell Peppers and Leek Tart

1 prepared pie crust

1 tablespoon butter

1 leek, cleaned and finely chopped

10 eggs

¼ cup milk or cream

1 cup grated Gouda cheese

1 cup of rotisserie chicken, cubed

1 red bell pepper, sliced in rings

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degree.  Heat butter in a small chef’s pan and sauté leeks until soft.  Add the leeks and chicken to the bottom of the crust and spread out.  Sprinkle an even layer of cheese into the bottom of the crust.  In a mixing bowl combine eggs, salt, pepper and milk and beat until well blended, pour the egg mixture into the center of the crust, top with red pepper rings.  Bake the tart for 40-45 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

Peach Blueberry Tart

Crust

1½ cups flour

¾ cup cold butter cut into cubes

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling

2 cups frozen peaches, cut into 1 inch chunks

1 cup fresh blueberries

½ cup sugar

1 lemon zested and juiced

2 tablespoons flour

Crumble

1 cup flour

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

½ teaspoon salt

To prepare the crust, combine flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to mix well.  Add cold butter and pulse until dough forms a ball.  Prepare tart pan by coating with butter or non-stick spray.  Press dough into pan evenly, prick bottom of crust with a fork. Chill crust for 15 minutes in the freezer.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To prepare filling, add all filling ingredients to a bowl and mix well. Pour fruit mixture into prepared crust. Make the crumble by whisking all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add the butter and mix with a folk or your hands until the mixture resembles peas. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the fruit and bake for 40-45 minute until fruit is bubbly and crumble is browned.

Cute tartlets, I recently served at an event!

Can you feel my face pressed against the glass?  This is pretty window of tarts in the 16th arrondissement of Paris.  I especially love the Mushroom pies!

 Travel with me to Provence in 2019 or Paris in 2020!