Depending on where you live, this tart could work in any season. What I have made today in Arizona, is more of a spring-into-summer tart; in New England, these ingredients would be summer; south of the equator, they’d be available a few months from now.
However, you can play around with different seasonable vegetables to make it in any season: fava beans, thinly-sliced winter squashes, caramelized onions or shallots, sautéed bitter greens, chopped and drained tomatoes. The possibilities are endless. I simply recommend using what is fresh and seasonal in your market.
The only thing you would need to change is the cooking time/process for your veggies prior to filling the tart. You want them tender before topping them with eggs. Winter squash will take longer, and bitter greens sauté up in just a couple of minutes. You can choose different herbs for the cream mixture to go with your vegetables. Rosemary, oregano, thyme, tarragon, basil… If cream isn’t on your diet, use some Greek yoghurt.
One of the parts I like best about this recipe is that the pastry is super easy. It is made in the food processor using egg yolk and vinegar, which make it pliable, and easier to handle. You don’t even need to chill it before rolling it.
~ David
A Seasonal Tart
Click link below to print recipe.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1/4 cup ice water, plus extra
- 1 6-ounce zucchini
- 1 6-ounce yellow summer squash
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon snipped chives
- 4 large eggs
- 12 spears asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon coarsely grated lemon zest
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Mix cream and lemon juice in a medium bowl and set aside for use in the filling.
- For the crust, place flour and 1 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse twice to distribute the salt. Add chilled butter in 24 pieces and pulse 10-12 times. Blend the egg yolk and vinegar in a small bowl, then whisk in 1/4 cup ice water. Add this to the flour and butter mixture and pulse 24 times (long pulses), or until dough comes together.
- Shape dough into a square then roll into a 14-inch square. Brush the outer 1/2 inch of the crust with water (all the way around). Roll 1/2-inch of each side over to create a raised border; crimp or pinch the border with a decorative pattern. Transfer to a parchment-lined 13-inch by 18-inch baking sheet. Prick the bottom of the pastry all over with a fork. Place in the refrigerator.
- For the filling, cut the squashes in half lengthwise and then in 1/4-inch half moons. Toss the squash with the oil; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast for 10-12 minutes, or until they are beginning to take on color. Do not turn off the oven.
- Remove the pastry from the refrigerator. Add the mustard and chives (or equivalent amount of other herbs that appeal to you) to the thickened cream mixture, and season with salt and pepper. Working within the raised pastry edging, spread the cream mixture evenly over the pastry. Spread the roasted zucchini over the cream, making four slight gaps or nests in the four quadrants in which to nestle the eggs.
- Break an egg into each indentation. Strew the asparagus over all but the yolks. Sprinkle lemon zest all over, and season with salt and pepper. Bake 20 minutes, or until egg whites are set and yolks are still runny (or a little longer, if you prefer firm yolks).
- Cut into four pieces and serve immediately.
- Serves 4.
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Chef Mimi
March 26, 2022 at 5:57 amHeck, I could eat this whenever I could find good asparagus and squash. This is beautiful – a work of art. I might be lazy and use puff pastry… but I love what you did with the veggies. This would be lovely for any meal.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 26, 2022 at 4:21 pmThanks Mimi! While I like puff pastry, I sometimes find it a little chewy and (I can’t believe I’m going to say this) too buttery. I suppose there’s just as much butter in my crust! Haha… we’ve made this for lunch and dinner, and now I’m thinking it would be great for breakfast too.
Connie
March 26, 2022 at 7:59 amI think this would be the PEFECT Easter brunch dish! I have often made tarts with asparagus but never thought of adding zucchini and summer squash. Doh!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 26, 2022 at 4:22 pmI hadn’t even thought about using it for brunch! But now I will, and it sounds like a great idea for Easter! Thanks Connie.
John / Kitchen Riffs
March 26, 2022 at 8:44 amThis is lovely — and a dish I have to make. Not a quiche and certainly not a toad-in-the-hole, although the dish kind of reminds me of both. Just a wonderful creation. The asparagus makes this dish, I think, although it’s the eggs that are the star of the show. And I do like eggs in the starring role. 🙂 Really clever — thanks.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 26, 2022 at 4:23 pmTo me, it’s the smear of thickened cream underneath everything that really makes the tart. It’s why it works so well with other vegetables, as well. Thanks for your kind comment, John.
Gloria Roa Baker
March 26, 2022 at 11:20 amThis looks amazing David I would eat now!!
Happy spring for you . We are begining our autumn!
Hugs
Cocoa & Lavender
March 26, 2022 at 4:23 pmHi Gloria! Thanks for your kind words. We seem to have bypassed spring and are going straight into summer! It’s almost hot enough to use the air conditioning!
Eha
March 26, 2022 at 3:21 pmLooks most moreish and I certainly will not wait five months for new season asparagus to make it ! Zucchini, caramelized onions and a pile of herbs from behind the kitchen door atop the egg . . . had to smile about the yoghurt ! Am not certain how neatly I can manipulate freeform pastry of this size but one shall give it a go 🙂 . . . thanks !
Cocoa & Lavender
March 26, 2022 at 4:24 pmI hope you to give it a try, Eha! The pastry is very forgiving because of the egg. Definitely worth trying.
Laura Brown
March 26, 2022 at 4:34 pmI can’t think of a YUMMIER recipe to make on a spring like day here in Tucson. Wish we weren’t out to dinner tonight. The next night we ARE home this is on the menu. Trader Joes had beautiful fresh asparagus just this week. Yum
Cocoa & Lavender
March 27, 2022 at 7:39 amI saw that asparagus yesterday and grabbed two bunches! I know you will love the simple tart!
Sippitysup
March 26, 2022 at 5:48 pmHere it’s spring on this tart and these toppings are perfectly seasonal. GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
March 27, 2022 at 7:43 amThanks, as eager, Greg for your kind comments.
Ronit Penso Tasty Eats
March 26, 2022 at 6:07 pmAsparagus season is almost here, and I’m always looking for new ways of using it, so this tasty looking tart came just in time.
I love the use of cream as the base, but even more so, the addition of mustard, which I tend to add to just about anything savory! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
March 27, 2022 at 7:44 amYes! The mustard is such a wonderful condiment in this case, adding depth to the flavor profile!
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
March 27, 2022 at 4:55 amLooks lovely, David! And sounds delicious.
By coincidence I picked up some zucchini at the supermarket just a couple of days ago. There were yellow squash, too. I do wonder where they came from, though, I don’t think any locally grown summer squashes are around yet.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 27, 2022 at 7:45 amHmmm… It does seem a bit early for zucchini there, Frank, but I’m sure they’re still wonderful and enjoyable!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
March 27, 2022 at 11:28 amIt is very pretty and would be perfect for an Easter or Mother’s Day brunch.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 3, 2022 at 7:01 amThanks, Karen — it is such a fun tart to make for any special occasion!
Christina | Christina's Cucina
March 27, 2022 at 6:41 pmIf I had more time to get my post done this weekend, I too would have posted an asparagus recipe! That would be you, Frank and me! It’s obviously that time of year! Looks delicious, David!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 3, 2022 at 7:03 amSpargelzeit! I love that the Germans have a word for asparagus season! I live this season, too, Christina!
Raymund
March 31, 2022 at 3:57 pmOhh that vinegar tip on the crust is handy, will try that next time.
For me we can enjoy this tart mostly all year round apart from the asparagus that only shows here in NZ during Spring to Summer season, probably repalcing it with garlic shoots
Cocoa & Lavender
April 3, 2022 at 7:04 amThe vinegar really helps in the elasticity of the dough, Raymond, and I think lemon juice would work well, too!
Valentina
April 2, 2022 at 6:22 pmI’ve always loved asparagus-egg dishes. My mom did too, and often made a quiche reminiscent of your beautiful tart. I’m lucky enough to be able to get all of these ingredients in So Cal right now. 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
April 3, 2022 at 6:00 amI know — asparagus and egg are an incredible combination. I have been playing with the combination a lot and have some new ideas coming down the pike. 🙂
John
April 3, 2022 at 2:49 amA very versatile tart, indeed, and one that features some of my favourite vegetables. All made even better finished with golden eggs.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 3, 2022 at 6:06 amThanks, John — seriously, what isn’t made better by the addition of an egg? (Okay, I can think of a few things, but…)
Inger
April 3, 2022 at 7:34 pmThis is just so elegant David! With all of the smaller holidays lately, it would be perfect for Easter or Mother’s Day!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:48 amAnd here it is Easter and all I have managed is a big bowl of hot cocoa. I guess the Easter Bunny would approve.
Jeff the Chef
April 10, 2022 at 8:25 amI like the flexibility of this tart, and I love that it’s topped with an egg!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:48 amEggs are the perfect food, don’t you think, Jeff? They just make every thing better.