Savory Summer Tarts
These versatile small tartlets can take top billing for a light lunch or play appetizer to a lazy weekend brunch. A creamy custard forms the backdrop for three fillings: goat cheese and tomato; crab and tarragon; and pea, onion, and pancetta. The empty pastry shells can be baked up to a day in advance, then filled and finished when you’re ready to eat. Pack them for a picnic—they’ll easily travel!
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 12 (4-inch) Tarts
Ingredients
FOR PASTRY DOUGH
FOR GOAT CHEESE AND TOMATO FILLING
FOR CRAB AND TARRAGON FILLING
FOR PEA, ONION, AND PANCETTA FILLING
FOR CUSTARD
Preparation
MAKE PASTRY DOUGH
Step 1
Blend together the flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Drizzle 5 tablespoons ice water evenly over the mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated. Squeeze a small handful of dough: if dough doesn’t hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring until incorporated. Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.
Step 2
Turn out the dough onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. With the heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather all of dough together, with a pastry scraper if you have one, and form into 2 (5-inch) squares. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
MAKE TART SHELLS
Step 3
Arrange 12 (4-inch) flan rings, tart rings, or ramekins on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Roll out one portion of dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 16 by 10-inch rectangle. Cut into 6 rough squares.
Step 4
Gently fit each square into a ring (do not stretch dough). Trim the excess dough flush with the rim. Lightly prick each shell several times with a fork and chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough and rings.
Step 5
Preheat the oven to 375°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.
Step 6
Line the shells with foil (not heavy-duty) and fill with pie weights. Bake until the sides are set, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove the weights and foil and bake the shells until golden brown all over, 5 to 8 minutes. Cool completely on baking sheets on racks, then remove the flan rings.
Step 7
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
ASSEMBLE GOAT CHEESE AND TOMATO TARTS
Step 8
Cook the haricots verts in salted boiling water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and divide among 4 tart shells along with the tomatoes, then top with a round of cheese. Reserve chives.
ASSEMBLE CRAB AND TARRAGON TARTS
Step 9
Cook the shallot in 1/2 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium heat until softened, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl. Heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat, then cook the bread, stirring, until golden. Toss the croutons with the shallot and divide among 4 tart shells. Toss the crab with the tarragon, zest, and cayenne and add to the same shells.
ASSEMBLE PEA, ONION, AND PANCETTA TARTS
Step 10
Cook the onions in the oil in a clean small skillet over medium heat until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in the peas and warm through, then divide mixture among remaining 4 tart shells. Add the pancetta to the skillet and cook, turning once, until just crisp. Reserve pancetta.
MAKE CUSTARD AND BAKE TARTS
Step 11
Whisk together the custard ingredients and divide among the shells. Sprinkle the chives over the goat cheese tarts and top the pea tarts with the pancetta.
Step 12
Bake the tarts on baking sheets until the custard is just set, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly.
COOK’S NOTE
Step 13
To make 1 large (11-inch) TART, prepare a half recipe of dough, and when fitting it into the tart pan, cut off the excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, and fold overhang inward. Press the dough against the side of the pan, pushing dough 1/4 inch above rim. Choose a filling and triple the ingredients (for a large pea tart, you’ll need only 5 slices pancetta); use the entire custard recipe. Bake the shell as above, then bake the filled tart 30 to 35 minutes.
