Can you use puff pastry for the bottom of a tart?

For a smallish tart of around 17.5cm/7in diametre you'll need: 180-200g/6-7oz puff pastry. Homemade inverted puff pastry is perfect . It holds and flakes really well and there's no soggy bottom or middle.

How do you keep puff pastry from getting soggy on the bottom?

One way to prevent soggy bottom pastry is to blind bake the pastry – This means partially or completely bake the pastry before adding the filling. Also, avoid over-filling your pastry.

How do you keep the bottom of puff pastry pie from getting soggy?

One of the fool-proof ways to ensure a crisp bottom pie crust is to do what is called blind baking . This simply means that you bake the crust—either fully if you are adding a custard or cream that won't be cooked, or partially if the whole pie needs to bake—before adding the filling.

Should puff pastry be chilled before baking?

Warm pastry: Your pastry should be cold, cold, cold going into the oven . It's worth reiterating: Cold butter equals flaky layers. If your pastry is warm, the butter can easily leech right out during baking. For best results, work quickly and keep your hands off!

Do you have to cook puff pastry before making a tart?

Partially cooking your pastry before adding moist fillings will seal the surface and result in a crisp pastry case – it's necessary , because it means your precious pastry won't turn soggy when it's filled and baked.

Can you prepare puff pastry the night before?

Yes, you can (with certain recipes) . To simplify your day, you can prepare the recipe ahead of time, then bake as directed prior to serving. How big are Puff Pastry Sheets? The frozen dimension of Puff Pastry Sheets is approximately 9.75” X 10.5” X 3/16” and the product comes folded in thirds.

Why is my puff pastry so hard after baking?

My baked pastry is tough. It usually occurs when you've been a bit heavy-handed with the water when you're initially bringing the pastry together (by adding water to the flour and butter), or if you have over-worked the dough and developed the gluten in the flour.

What temperature should you cook puff pastry at?

Bake in a preheated oven of at least 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) to get the maximum puff from your pastry.

Should puff pastry touch the pie filling?

Preheat the oven to 180C (fan). Then unroll the pastry and place it carefully on top of the pie dish - place it on the rim of the dish rather than on the filling. I.e. the pastry should not be touching the filling .

Can you use puff pastry as a base?

If you want to make a puff pastry base for your pie As you warm up your oven, put a baking tray in to heat up. Then when you put your pie in the oven, sit the dish on top of the hot baking tray . I find that this really helps to cook the base of the Steak Pie and stop a soggy bottom.

What pastry is used for the bottom of a pie?

Shortcrust pastry is the best for pies that fully encase a filling as they tend to be firmer and less likely to leak. Puff pastry is great if you prefer just a pastry lid on top of the filling.

Can you use puff for pie base?

Turns out, it's amazing. The high butter content in puff pastry makes this crust melt in your mouth . Not to mention, I think it's stunning. *disclaimer: if you want a crispy crust, this crust is not it.

Can you use puff pastry as a tart shell?

I love using puff pastry to make a tart base because you don't even have to have a tart pan . It's a crust and a pan all in one! Just roll out the thawed puff pastry and use a paring knife to gently score a border about ¾-inch inside the edge of the pastry.

Recipe: Vegetable Pesto Puff Pastry Tart (2024)

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Christine Gallary

Christine GallaryFood Editor-at-Large

Christine graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France, and she has worked at Cook's Illustrated and CHOW.com. She lives in San Francisco and loves teaching cooking classes. Follow her latest culinary escapades on Instagram.

updated Jan 21, 2020

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Recipe: Vegetable Pesto Puff Pastry Tart (1)

Layers of veggies, feta cheese, and pesto sit atop buttery puff pastry.

Serves8 to 12

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Salted Vegetables = No Soggy Bottom

Lots of sliced summer squash and juicy tomatoes are the heart of this tart, but they can water the crust down if just thrown on top as is. The key here is to do one extra step while the oven is heating: Salt them first. The salt draws out a lot of moisture in just 20 minutes and seasons the vegetables at the same time. Quickly blot away the water that’s beaded on top with paper towels, and you’re left with vegetables that will roast nicely while the puff pastry browns and crisps up.

Store-bought puff pastry is worth always having in the freezer, but did you know you can also freeze pesto? The next time you make a big batch or find yourself with some leftovers, freeze what you need for this tart and defrost it while you’re defrosting the puff pastry. A perfect pesto tart is then at your fingertips — all you need are some veggies!

Freezer-to-Table Meals

The freezer is one of our favorite secret weapons for getting weeknight dinners on the table stat. This week, we’re sharing the best staples to keep in the freezer and, more importantly, how to turn them into tasty meals that require minimal effort or planning. It’s time to embrace our friend the freezer!

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

1 pound
tomatoes (about 3 medium), halved and cut into 1/4-inch-thick half moons
2
medium zucchini or summer squash (about 10 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 teaspoon
kosher salt
1
(14- to 17-ounce) package frozen puff pastry (preferably all butter), thawed in the refrigerator
1/2 cup
basil pesto, at room temperature
2 1/2 ounces
feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 teaspoon
red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Place the tomatoes and summer squash on a baking sheet or 2 large plates in a single layer. Sprinkle with the salt and let sit for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400°F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Move the parchment to a work surface. Unfold the puff onto the parchment (if your package has 2 sheets, place them side by side, slightly overlapping, so that they fit the baking sheet). Using a rolling pin, roll it into a rectangle about the size of the baking sheet. Transfer the puff, still on the parchment, to the baking sheet.
Carefully roll about 1/2 inch of each side in on itself toward the center to form the outer rim of the tart. Dollop the pesto evenly over the puff and spread into an even layer. Pat the vegetables dry with paper towels to absorb the moisture beaded on top. Lay the vegetable slices evenly over the pesto, overlapping them slightly to fit. Sprinkle with the feta cheese, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.
Bake until the edges are puffed and and the bottom is crisp and golden-brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

Puff pastry: Look for ready-made puff pastry in the freezer section, particularly those brands made with all butter rather than oil. They will have a richer flavor, and the dough will produce nice layers of pastry. For best results, defrost in the refrigerator at least 4 hours and up to 1 day before using.

Storage: This recipe is best eaten the day it's made. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Rewarm in a 325°F oven until warmed through.

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