Savoury tart for lunch

[Happydaze2]

Visitors coming for the day next week and as we’re planning a morning walk I don’t want to be faffing around cooking when we arrive home for lunch. Think I’ll make a tart with ready-made puff pastry but to make life even easier and quicker on the day I’m wondering whether to fully prepare it the day before and refrigerate it - uncooked. Tbh I am not a great cook so if this isn’t a good idea for any reason please let me know 😊

I wouldn't. I'd prepare all the filling ingredients - chop meat & veg, whisk eggs etc - then cover & leave separately in the 'fridge. Unwrap pastry just as you are about to start cooking.

The pastry needs to be room temperature for rolling out and cooking so I’d leave that out on the counter ready for when you get home and keep it simple, tomato sauce and cheese and fresh basil, you could have some pre fried peppers or mushrooms if you wanted to add those.

@Happydaze2 this is a good recipe (you could buy pre-made shortcrust pastry though), it's freezable too.

Is the pastry rectangular or round? If it is rectangular, I just unroll it and make a pizza type tart wirh whatever toppings and a tomato base. You can then just slide it onto a chopping board when cooked and cutting is so much easier. Prep a nice tabbouleh before so it 'cooks' in the lemon, tomato and cucumber juices.

I only do egg based fillings if my pastry is round as you have to stick it in a flan dish really. Although I do blind bake for a bit or you get a soggy bottom. Don't forget to prick it either way.

Crikey I'd just buy a quiche in Tesco

Ah sorry I've just realised this is the food and recipes board. It came up in active. Most people would just buy something easy but if you're in to cooking crack on

Does it need to be a hot tart?
Personally, I'd cook it the day beforehand and serve it cold like a quiche with salads, crunchy baguette etc. It could even be re-heated if you did want something warmer.

This is delicious and a nice change from quiche Lorraine. https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/pumpkin-spinach-feta-quiche/3a56ebb4-3a90-4b66-a744-8265a9cab91c

I think if you are using puff pastry you maybe can't make it in advance as it would go soggy. But you could make a normal quiche in advance using short crust pastry and that would be OK.

Thanks for the suggestions. I’m going to use ready-rolled puff pastry as a base - rectangular - layer of cream cheese spread over then slices of Brie and garlicky mushrooms and a bit of spinach thrown on top for last couple of mins. But should I bake the pastry a bit first before adding any of the toppings?

You could make an upside-down tart like this to save you both time and a soggy bottom!

You need to prick it with a fork all over and then I would bake blind first so its not soggy but you might get away with not doing that if you are using puff pastry.

Personally I would make it with a shop bought pasty case. Cook it and serve it hot/cold the next day.
I've found my air fryer good for both baking and reheating quiche.

All of those ingredients are wet and and mushrooms/spinach will leak a great deal of water. Are their other binders or just cream cheese and brie? I'm afraid this would make a very soggy bottom.

As someone else suggested, I'd make it up side down like a tarte tatin to ensure the pasty remains crispy. I'd steam/microwave the spinach and squeeze out the excess fluid beforehand too.

It’s a minefield… 😂

Yeah I’ve tried one with mushrooms and it was very wet.

We do a tart with pesto as the base, then roasted jarred peppers and feta. You could also use tomatoes but again they will leak a lot of moisture when cooking.

I’d blind bake it for a little bit first. Make it the day before or in the morning then heat slices in the air fryer or oven.

I agree with those ingredients being a bit wet. I personally would just do a quiche type one using short crust pastry and include those ingredient that you liked as flavours. Then you can make it the day before and don't need to faff about after your walk and not have any nasty soggy bottom surprises. I think the puff pastry one won't be so nice if you have to reheat it.

If you do use the puff pastry remember to score it about an inch from the edge all round.

I've got this absolutely gorgeous recipe for an apricot tart which involves spreading frangipane onto ready rolled puff pastry and then putting apricots on. Every bloody time I serve it I forget that you can't make it in advance and so every time it comes out with a soggy bottom no matter how I cook it. I have to assemble it just before we eat it which is a faff.

I make this. Puff pastry pre baked pricked all over. Pre cook leeks. Top pastry with ricotta mixed with an egg, lemon rind and garlic. Top with leeks and asparagus. Top with grated Parmesan. You can add salmon if they eat fish. Bake in oven. Serve cold or warm it up before serving.

That sounds lovely Jack, would you mind sharing your recipe?

Sure! Here it is. I use apricots but plums are obviously lovely too.

Thanks Jack! Would it work with tinned apricots do you think?

Yes could do. As long as it caramelises a bit which it will do with the glaze. You could use honey or maple syrup too I think.