Puff Pastry

Though these tarts look and taste as if a French grandmother had slaved over them, the abbreviated cooking time is more suited to an American's pace. The apples, cooked first in syrup, are juicy and intense.

Fruit tart desserts often steal the spotlight in summer, but this easy savory treat showcases plum tomatoes in their prime with such simple grace that you'll forget about sweets for the moment.

If you can't find golden raspberries, simply substitute more red raspberries.

Editor's note: The recipe below is excerpted from Katie Brown's Weekends. To read more about Katie Brown and to get her tips on throwing a headache-free cocktail party, click here. I love an all-in-one dish!

East meets West in this famous Dutch milk tart, which is usually baked in a deep enamel dish, though a quiche tin may be used. In summer, pastry dough was made late at night, wrapped in a damp muslin cloth and hung in a draft to keep cool. For the lightest crust, the tart was baked before sunrise. The custard was flavoured with dried naartjie (tangerine) peel, blanched almonds and peach kernels, and coconut milk or sweet wine were sometimes added. Some modern cooks add a dash of almond essence.

This savory tart hails from France and features cottage cheese, sour cream, bacon slices, onion, and freshly grated Parmesan. You've never know by looking at it, but it's actually very easy to make and ready in under an hour. 

None of us were familiar with clam pie, but we did notice various versions of it printed and reprinted in our early issues. We had to see what all the fuss was about. It turns out to be a superlative potpie, hearty with chunks of vegetables and bacon and sweet with briny clams. Inspired by legendary French chef Paul Bocuse, we updated these pies by substituting puff pastry for piecrust.

Sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, these little prune tartlets (made with just five ingredients) are so delicious, they'll have everyone at the breakfast table begging for more.

Easily made with puff pastry, these light, thin apple tarts provide just the right amount of dessert. The skins get added to the syrupy glaze, enhancing the tarts with a bit of sweetness and the faintest blush of pink.

Oven-drying the tomatoes before baking the tart concentrates their sweetness and prevents juices from softening the filling. This makes a great summer starter, light lunch, or supper. What to drink: A glass of dry rosé to echo the Provençal flavors of the tart, or a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Joe Dion of North Charleston, South Carolina, writes: "Because I work in a restaurant (I'm a chef at a place called Slightly North of Broad in Charleston), I don't let my cooking at home get too complicated. I'm at the restaurant five days a week and often work on weekends, but whenever I have the chance I enjoy getting together with friends and cooking for them." Frozen puff pastry simplifies this dessert.

Pink peppercorns add a lovely floral note to this pretty dessert.

Camote is Spanish for sweet potato.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.