PUFF PASTRY TARTS - 3 WAYS

the answer to speedy delicious summer cooking

Nothing thrills me more than a quick, low fuss, easy recipe that also happens to be v delicious and feel fancy and chic. Like, sorry, but it’s a winning combo. I’m always looking for new ways to get the most out of my time in the kitchen but never more so than in the peak of a heat wave. London is experiencing pretty consistent highs of 33c at the moment, which as we’re a famously cold and rainy country, we are simply not prepared for. It feels like the city is chugging through a lake of honey, the concrete practically throbbing with heat, the green grass long gone, replaced by straw like tufts, every window open, fan whirring and chefs across the city fighting for their lives in 40c kitchens. I’m not complaining, truly, this is far preferable to the chilly drizzly summers we’ve had the last few years, but there is a bit of an adjustment to make, in the clothes we’re wearing and the food we’re cooking. I am mostly eating a diet cold, fresh salads, fresh fruit, the occasional Snickers icecream and sauerkraut by the forkful. That’s all fine and dandy when I’m just feeding myself, but as is the way, I’m also feeding my friends and my housemates and I want to make something that is equally easy for me and delicious for them.

So, here we find ourselves, bowing down at the alter of shop bought puff pastry, which in case you are interested, would be my nomination for the best thing since sliced bread.

There are very few occasions where I am willing to make my own puff pastry, but they are certainly never going to coincide with a heatwave, no sir. Enter stage left the pre bought puff, a thing of beauty, no rolling, blind baking or laminating required. I always go for the sheet version, pre rolled and lined with a piece of grease proof paper - they’ve done it all ! it couldn’t be easier ! it feels like cheating ! but I’m here for it.

The other fabulous thing about pre bought puff pastry, that you might not know, is that 9 times out of 10 it’s vegan. I have a feeling this is to do with minimising costs, but either way, it’s a helping hand if you are feeding a mix of dietaries and need a dairy free / vegan pastry. You can adapt all the recipes below to be vegan by simply switching the ricotta for a vegan alternative, vegan crème fraîche would work well and adding your toppings of choice.

I’ve included three ideas for how you can top your tarts, led by what looked good at my green grocer this week, but my feeling is, that once you’ve made one tart, you’ll be flooded with ideas for what you’d like to top the next one with - the options really are endless. The base recipe and first topping is available to all and the second two are exclusive to paid subscribers.

I hope you’re all enjoying the weather, managing to stay cool and taking time to slow down and soak up the summer.

Sending love, Rosie x

PUFF PASTRY TARTS - 3 WAYS

All these tarts start the exact same way, so I will begin the method here and then you can skip ahead to the toppings you’d like to add and continue from there.

Ingredients

1 x 320g roll of puff pastry

160g full fat ricotta, whipped with a pinch of salt and grind of black pepper

An egg, beaten thoroughly (this is your egg wash)

1. Preheat the oven to 200c.

2. Unroll the pastry, keeping it on the grease proof paper it comes wrapped up in, and place on a baking tray.

3. Using a pairing knife, score a border around an inch wide, all the way around the sheet of pastry.

4. Take the whipped ricotta and spread evenly on the pastry sheet, inside the border you’ve just scored.

5. Add your preferred toppings.

6. Using a pastry brush, paint the border of the pastry with the egg wash.

7. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden and crisp.

8. Allow to cool slightly before slicing and devouring.

COURGETTE, PARMESAN & LEMON

1 large courgette (or half of each green and yellow)

1 x lemon, juiced and zested

A pinch of salt

A pinch of chilli flakes

1 tbsp olive oil

15g parmesan, finely grated

• Thinly slice the courgette and combine in a bowl with the lemon juice, zest, a pinch of salt and the chilli flakes.

• Mix well, massaging the courgette to make sure everything gets coated.

• Set aside for 10 minutes to allow some liquid to be released from the courgette.

• When you’re ready to top the tart, squeeze out as much moisture as you can and loosely scatter the courgette mix over the ricotta, staying within the border.

• Drizzle the courgettes in the olive oil and then sprinkle over the parmesan

• Return to step 6 of the method above.

TOMATO, ANCHOVY & GARLIC