Spring Vegetable Tart
This Spring Vegetable Tart is a stunning celebration of the season — a golden, buttery pastry shell filled with a silky herbed custard and topped with a colorful arrangement of asparagus, peas, leeks, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. Finished with Gruyère and fresh herbs, it's elegant enough for a dinner party yet approachable enough for a relaxed weekend brunch. Serve it warm or at room temperature for a dish that looks like it came straight from a French bakery window.
Equipment
- 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom Essential for clean unmolding and beautiful slices
- Food processor For making pastry dough quickly; can substitute with pastry cutter and bowl
- Rolling Pin
- Parchment paper For blind baking
- pie weights or dried beans For blind baking the tart shell
- Large skillet or sauté pan For pre-cooking vegetables
- Mixing bowls
- Mandoline slicer (optional) For thin, even zucchini slices
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Chef's knife and cutting board
- Baking sheet Place under tart pan to catch any drips during baking
- Wire rack For resting the tart after baking
- Plastic wrap For wrapping dough during chilling
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour about 156g
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 113g (1 stick), cold, cut into small cubes
- 3-4 tbsp ice water add one tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together
For the Custard Filling
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream 240ml
- 1/2 cup whole milk 120ml
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg freshly grated
- 1/2 cup Gruyère cheese about 55g, freshly grated, plus extra for topping
For the Vegetable Topping
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium leek white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup peas fresh or frozen
- 1 bunch thin asparagus about 12 spears, woody ends trimmed; thick spears can be halved lengthwise
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 small zucchini thinly sliced into rounds, about 1/8 inch thick
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves divided
- 2 tbsp fresh chives chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
- salt and pepper to taste, for seasoning the vegetables
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese freshly grated, for finishing
Instructions
- Pulse flour and salt in a food processor, then add cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time with the processor running, stopping as soon as the dough clumps together.Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, press into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle about ⅛ inch thick, transfer to a 9-inch tart pan, and press into the fluted edges. Trim excess dough, dock the bottom with a fork, line with parchment and pie weights, and place on a baking sheet.Bake for 15 minutes, remove parchment and weights, then bake another 8 to 10 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool while you prepare the filling.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the sliced leek for 5 to 6 minutes until softened, then add minced garlic and cook for 60 seconds. Stir in the peas and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside to cool.Trim the asparagus, slice the zucchini into thin rounds, and halve the cherry tomatoes; set all vegetables aside separately.
- Whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, and whole milk in a large bowl until smooth. Season with salt, black pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg, then stir in the grated Gruyère and half of the fresh thyme leaves until evenly combined.
- Reduce oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the leek and pea mixture evenly across the tart shell, then slowly pour the custard over the top, filling just below the crust rim. Arrange the asparagus, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes decoratively on top.Scatter the remaining thyme, chives, and parsley over the vegetables, then sprinkle with grated Parmesan.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 to 35 minutes until the custard is set with a slight wobble in the center and the top is golden in places. Remove from the oven and rest on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before unmolding and slicing.
Notes
- Keep butter cold: Cold butter is the key to a flaky crust. If your kitchen is warm, freeze the cubed butter for 10 minutes before starting.
- Don't skip blind baking: Blind baking is non-negotiable for a tart with a wet custard filling — skipping it results in a soggy bottom crust.
- Pre-cook moisture-heavy vegetables: Sautéing leeks, zucchini, or mushrooms before adding them removes excess water and prevents a watery custard.
- Grate your own cheese: Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that affect how it melts. Freshly grated Gruyère and Parmesan taste significantly better.
- Don't overbake: Pull the tart from the oven when the center still has a slight jiggle — it will finish setting as it rests outside the oven.
- Make-ahead tip: Blind bake the crust up to 2 days ahead and store wrapped at room temperature. The custard can be made the day before and refrigerated.
- Shortcut crust: A refrigerated store-bought pie crust or a sheet of frozen puff pastry both work perfectly and save significant time.
- Storage: Store leftover tart loosely covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat slices on a baking sheet at 325°F (163°C) for 10 to 15 minutes to restore crust crispness.
- Freezing: The fully baked and cooled tart can be frozen for up to 1 month. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap then foil, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Serving temperature: This tart is equally delicious served slightly warm or at room temperature, making it ideal for entertaining since timing is flexible.
Nutrition
Serving: 1SliceCalories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 10gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 6.5gCholesterol: 130mgSodium: 340mgPotassium: 290mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 20IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 10mg
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