Tart Du Jour Recipe

Make the dough

Place flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Cut cold butter into 1/2-inch cubes and add to the flour. Using a pastry cutter or fingertips, quickly work the butter into the flour until a coarse, crumbly texture remains with pea-sized butter pieces.

Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, gently stirring with a fork until the dough just holds together when pressed. Do not overwork; some dry streaks are okay.

Gather dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours).

On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to about 1/8-inch thickness and large enough to line a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Gently fit dough into the pan, trim excess, and crimp edges. Chill the lined pan for 15 minutes before blind baking.

Blind-bake

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line the chilled crust with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake 8–10 minutes more until the crust is lightly golden. Let cool slightly.

Prepare the vegetables

Heat olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to caramelize, about 8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.

Add sliced zucchini and cook 3–4 minutes until just tender. Stir in cherry tomatoes and spinach, cooking until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fresh thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Let the mixture cool slightly.

Prepare custard

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, remaining 1/4 tsp black pepper, and grated Parmesan until smooth. Crumble the softened goat cheese and stir into the custard mixture, leaving some small pieces for texture.

Evenly spread the cooked vegetable mixture in the blind-baked tart crust. Pour the egg-and-cheese custard over the vegetables so it fills the tart evenly but does not overflow.

Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30–35 minutes, or until the filling is set around the edges and slightly jiggly in the center. Rotate the tart halfway through baking for even browning.

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10–15 minutes to set. The tart will firm up as it cools.

Mix the egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water to make an egg wash. Lightly brush the crust edge with the egg wash for a glossy finish, doing this quickly before or just after baking as desired.

Scatter fresh basil or microgreens over the tart just before serving for brightness.

Slice and serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a 325°F (160°C) oven to refresh the crust.