A Five-Ingredient Tart Just Right for Summer

Are you intimidated by puff pastry? Because weirdly, until recently, I considered it a page-turner…

…i.e., an ingredient that immediately made me turn the page when I saw it in a recipe. But as probably many of you know, baking with puff pastry is as simple as thawing the dough, then unfolding it and laying it underneath or on top of something. On the spectrum of store-bought pastry doughs, it’s easier than phyllo dough, which you usually have to brush with butter and layer, and it’s more textured and flaky (read: special) than regular pie dough. Best of all, it contributes so much to the overall recipe that you don’t have to add much to turn it into an inspired vegetarian dinner.

Which brings me to this week’s five-ingredient dinner: a gorgeous, simple, peak-summery Tomato-Feta Tart. If your puff pastry is thawed, it will take you less than five minutes to assemble, and less than 30 to bake. If you don’t have feta, use the cheese you have; if you want to add a sixth ingredient, caramelized onions never made anything worse.

Tomato-Feta Tart
You don’t want the tomatoes to be too juicy or else the dough can get soggy. You can address this by poking some of the seeds and pulp out of the tomatoes while you slice them. (Then rub toast in that juice for a cheater’s pan con tomate.)

1 14-ounce package puff pastry (such as Dufour brand), thawed (important!)
flour for dusting
2-3 tablespoons olive oil*, for brushing and coating
4 or 5 tomatoes (any kind, any size), sliced
2 to 3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
fresh thyme or basil for garnish
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper*

Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out the puff pastry on a sheet of lightly floured parchment paper. Prick the pastry in a few places with a fork and brush all over with the olive oil. Slide the parchment paper onto a baking sheet.

Arrange the tomatoes on top (a little overlap is fine, just leave about a 1-inch border), sprinkle with the cheese, salt and pepper, then drizzle with another tablespoon of olive oil.

Bake the tart until edges of pastry are browned, puffed, and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. (Start checking on it after 15.) Let cool about 10 minutes before slicing.

*We aren’t counting olive oil, salt, or pepper in the ingredient count.

Thoughts? Would you make this? I’d love to pair it with a green salad.

P.S. More five-ingredient dinners, including a dinner that’s so good it has a nickname.

(Photos by Yossy Arefi for Cup of Jo.)