No More Soggy Summer Tarts
For a better savory summer tart, start by salting your sliced vegetables. This draws out the moisture that dilutes flavors and prevents the tart from crisping.
A bit of salt is the secret fix for watery vegetables
Shingled slices of tomato and summer squash or zucchini create an easy, elegant savory summer tart when layered over frozen puff pastry and sprinkled with briny feta and aromatic za’atar.
Rose Hattabaugh
Rose Hattabaugh is a Senior Recipe Developer at Milk Street. As our resident baking enthusiast, she lives by the philosophy that every meal deserves a cake. Rose’s knowledge of all things culinary comes from her experience working in a variety of Boston area restaurants both front and back of house. During her career, she has offered in-home event catering, private cooking instruction and bespoke specialty desserts. You can follow her baking tips and current favorite influences on Instagram @sweetrosebakes.
SHOPPING
We recommend Dufour puff pastry because it is made with butter and is the ideal size, needing only minimal rolling after the sheet is thawed and unfolded. Pepperidge Farm puff pastry works, too, though it lacks buttery richness. You will need only one sheet from the 17.3-ounce box of Pepperidge Farm (which contains two sheets), and it will need to be rolled out into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. As for za’atar, opt for blends containing clearly visible dried herbs (such as those made by Ziyad or Watkins), which offer better flavor than powdered mixtures.
TIP
Be sure to leave a 1-inch border on all sides when poking holes in the rolled-out pastry. This technique creates an edge that bakes up light, puffed and crisp, but keeps the center beneath the toppings from rising excessively. The tart is best served warm or at room temperature.
TECHNIQUE
Salt Vegetables to Reduce Water, Concentrate Flavor
Watery vegetables can ruin the texture of a crispy tart. So we slice, then salt the vegetables and let them drain for 20 minutes, which removes water while also seasoning them and intensifying their flavors. For each pound of sliced vegetables, arrange the slices on a paper towel-lined baking sheet, then sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt per side. This also works for cucumbers and eggplant.
