Description
A savory and elegant tart featuring a flaky all-butter puff pastry crust filled with caramelized fennel, red onion, roasted red pepper, and creamy goat’s cheese. Perfect for a light lunch or a stylish appetizer, this tart combines sweet and tangy flavors with a hint of smoky paprika, baked until golden and set.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- 375g sheet all-butter puff pastry
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 large fennel bulb, core removed, finely chopped
- 1 romano pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
Custard & Seasoning
- 2 eggs, plus 1 yolk
- 200ml double cream
- 100ml milk
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
Cheese & Garnish
- 100g goat’s cheese
- 12 olives, pitted
- caper berries, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Pastry Shell: Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface to about the thickness of a £1 coin. Use this to line a 20 x 3.5 cm deep loose-based tart tin. Prick the pastry base all over with a fork. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes to prevent shrinking during baking.
- Blind Bake the Pastry: Heat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas mark 6). Line the pastry shell with baking parchment and fill with baking beans (or dried rice/beans) to weigh it down. Place the tart tin on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans, then bake for an additional 8-10 minutes until the pastry is a pale biscuit color. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (160°C fan/gas mark 4).
- Cook the Vegetables: While the pastry bakes, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped red onion, fennel, and romano pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and beginning to caramelize. Add the crushed garlic cloves and cook for another few minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
- Make the Custard Filling: In a bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs, extra yolk, double cream, milk, sweet paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper to season. Mix until well combined and slightly frothy.
- Assemble the Tart: Spoon the cooked vegetable mixture evenly into the pre-baked tart shell. Dot the surface with pieces of goat’s cheese and scatter the pitted olives over the top. Pour the custard mixture carefully over the filling to cover it evenly.
- Bake the Tart: Place the tart tin back into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the custard is set, golden on top, and the tart feels firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
- Serve: Once cooled slightly, remove the tart from the tin and cut into slices. Serve at room temperature or gently reheated. Garnish with caper berries if desired for an added burst of flavor.
Notes
- To prevent the pastry from shrinking, chilling or freezing it before blind baking is essential.
- Baking beans or dried rice can be reused multiple times for blind baking.
- Goat’s cheese adds a creamy tang; substitute with feta for a different flavor.
- This tart can be served warm or at room temperature, making it ideal for entertaining.
- Oven temperatures can vary; check the tart towards the end of baking to avoid over browning.
- Caper berries are optional but add a lovely briny contrast to the rich filling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Savory Tart
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: European
Keywords: goat's cheese tart, fennel tart, roasted red pepper tart, savory tart recipe, vegetarian tart, puff pastry tart
