Garden Vegetable Tart

Garden Vegetable Tart

Serves 4-6.

Use up the last of those garden veggies for this delicious tart!  We all loved it!  It can be served as a side dish or main dish.
Slightly adapted from: Better Homes and Gardens, August 2012

1 frozen puff pastry sheet (half a 17.3-oz. package)
2 ears of fresh sweet corn
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup water
4 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
Crushed red pepper and dried basil (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry to a 14x10-inch rectangle; transfer to a baking pan.  Prick pastry all over with a fork.  Bake 10 minutes, until center is set.  Remove from oven; lightly press center with spatula.

Meanwhile, wrap cleaned corn in waxed paper.  Microwave for 2 minutes.  Cut corn kernels off the cob.  Add corn, zucchini, and tomatoes into a saucepan and saute with olive oil over medium heat until tender, 5-7 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the tomato paste and water; spread on puff pastry.  Top pastry with cheese and vegetables.  Bake tart 10 minutes, until pastry is golden and cheese is melted.  Top with red pepper and basil.

Nadine's Apple Tart

Nadine's Apple Tart

Serves 8-12.

My father-in-law is one of my biggest fans when it comes to cooking and baking. It's fun to cook for someone like that. So when he sent me this recipe, offering to be a "taste-tester," I knew I had to make it for him. As someone who frequently nurtures through the offering of food, I love fulfilling special requests.

Source: Figlio - Columbus, Ohio

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 T. sugar

1/2 t. salt

5 T. chilled, unsalted butter

4 T. cold water

2 granny smith apples

1 egg yolk

2/3 c. heavy cream

1 t. vanilla extract

3 T. powdered sugar

Place flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse. Cut butter into cubes and pulse to mix. Add tablespoons of cold water, pulsing after each addition until mixture is shaggy. Place shaggy mass on floured surface and form into a disc. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate at least 20 minutes or until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator 15 minutes before using. Spray a 9-inch removable bottom tart pan lightly with cooking spray.

Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface with rolling pin and place dough in tart pan.

Peel, core, and slice apples 1/4" thick. Line apples in a circular, overlapping pattern on top of the pastry dough. Sprinkle with 1/2 t. sugar and bake for 10-15 minutes.

While apples are baking, make cream sauce by mixing egg yolk, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a bowl with a fork. Then add cream and stir.

Remove tart from oven and pour cream mixture on top of apples until they are halfway covered. Return to oven to bake 15-20 minutes longer, until cream if golden brown.

Let cool on wire rack. Serve slightly warm, with garnish of sprinkled cinnamon or whipped cream... or both!

We were having family over, so I turned it into a centerpiece!

A Note From The Little Lady: Since I had some extra dough left over, I played around with making mini tarts. Although I don't have mini tart pans, I used a mini (really mini) loaf pan. Baking times were the same.