Savory Spring Tarts
Invite friends over to celebrate spring with a savory tart.
Ellen Ecker Ogden is the author of books featuring kitchen garden designs with recipes for cooks who love to garden. Her newest book is The New Heirloom Garden. Each week you’ll receive artful garden tips and recipes.
I get my best ideas for dinner wandering into a kitchen store, so it’s hard to say if it was a recipe or the fluted French tart pan that inspired me to make a savory tart. A French tart, quiche, or open-faced pie starts with thinly rolled piecrust dough fitted into a straight-sided bottomless metal flan ring.
What could be more elegant than a shallow, flowerlike shell on a plate, accompanied by a mound of lightly dressed spring greens?
Preparing a savory tart is easier than you might think. For one thing, if you follow the basic recipe, you can be free to mix and match with a range of seasonal ingredients. For those who prefer to eat their vegetables disguised in a little custard or a creamy sauce, a savory tart is a perfect foil. I like to find a balance between the soft cheese base to highlight the delicate flavor of spring asparagus or fiddlehead ferns.
Once you discover the joys of baking tarts, you will instantly become a more confident and creative cook.
Say goodbye to the old-fashioned thick double-crusted holiday pie, in favor of a thin, delicate slice of tart made with thinly sliced fresh fruit or chocolate topped with hazelnuts. The possibilities are endless, which is why when shopping for tart pans, collect a range of shapes and sizes.
Savory Tart Crust
I’ll admit that for many years I failed at making pie crust the traditional way, which is why I began to experiment with different methods. I finally found a recipe that works every time. Being successful at making a pie crust can change everything. This fool-proof recipe blends together in a food processor and rolls out into a soft, pliable dough without pre-chilling. This means you can get your savory tart into the oven within an hour. It’s ideal for tarts because it’s a bit sturdier than a flaky pie crust.
No-Fail Pie Crust
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2-teaspoon salt
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted chilled butter cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2-cup plain yogurt ( or sour cream)
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, blend the flour and salt. Work the flour and salt until mixed, and with the machine on, add the butter one piece at a time. Add the yogurt and blend until the dough forms a ball, less than a minute. Roll out the dough and gently together to gather it into a pliable ball. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out to a 1/4 thin strip or oval, to fit into your tart pan. Trim the overhang with a rolling pin pressed along the ridged edges for a clean cut. Refrigerate while making the filling.
Caramelized Onion Tart
Makes one tart / 35 minutes to prepare / 25 minutes to bake
This is my go-to recipe for special occasions or simply a Friday night social potluck. For handheld pieces that only require a thick napkin, select a tart pan that is long and narrow.
Serve with a side salad of bitter spring greens, tossed with chicories, and maybe even a few dandelion greens from your lawn. Light the candles and celebrate the first dinner of the season on the porch. For a printable copy, visit my website here.
Dinner often falls into two categories: everyday meals and dishes fit for company. Savory tarts magically bridge this gap. Seasoned with sweet garden vegetables layered with cream or caramelized onions infused with fresh herbs, when baked in a healthy pie crust, it's easy to create a meal fit for a king - without the blackbirds.
When the tart is baked, the outer ring is removed and the hot tart is slid onto a serving plate. Serve warm or cold, it is the best way I know to impress friends, and the presentation is always stunning.