Adapted from the Pinot Grigio chapter of “100 Perfect Pairings: Small Plates to Enjoy with Wines You Love” by Jill Silverman Hough (Wiley, 2010)
This is a relatively simple yet delightfully special dish, thanks to the convenience of store-bought, always-elegant puff pastry.
You could make a case for pairing the tart with Sauvignon Blanc, and there’d be nothing wrong with that combination. But because of the weight of the dish—the rich pastry, the nutty Gruyère cheese, the potatoes—I prefer it with slightly weightier Pinot Grigio.
Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer or side dish, 2 or 3 as an entrée
- 1 leek, white and light green parts only, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 3 ounces snap peas, cut into 1/2-inch lengths (you should have about 3/4 cup) (see note)
- 3 small white or red potatoes (about 4 ounces), cut into 1/8-inch slices
- 1 sheet (half of a 17.3-ounce package) puff pastry, thawed
- 1 1/4 cups shredded Gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces), divided
- 2 thin slices prosciutto (about 1 ounce), cut into 1/4-inch strips
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint, tarragon, or a combination
- 1 lemon wedge
Bring a medium saucepan of well-salted water (1 tablespoon of coarse kosher salt per quart) to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and snap peas and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain. Set the potatoes, leeks, and snap peas aside. (You can prepare the leek, snap peas, and potatoes up to 2 days in advance, storing them covered in the refrigerator. Return to room temperature before proceeding.)
Line a baking sheet with parchment. On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 10-inch square. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Using a fork, pierce the pastry all over, leaving a 1-inch border. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. (You can refrigerate the pastry, covered, for up to a day.)
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Sprinkle about 3/4 cup of the cheese on the pastry, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange the potatoes, leeks, snap peas, and prosciutto on top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake the tart until golden, about 25 minutes.
Just before serving, sprinkle the herbs and squeeze the lemon over the tart. Cut into pieces and serve warm or at room temperature.
NOTE The original version of this recipe uses artichoke hearts instead of snap peas, but they weren't available when I made the recipe this time so I substituted snap peas (and they were delicious!). If you find baby artichokes and would rather use them, prepare them as directed in this post, cut them in quarters, then boil them until tender separately from the leeks (they might take longer to become tender). You can also use thawed frozen artichoke hearts, also quartered, but don't worry about boiling them—just add them to the tart when you add the potatoes and leeks. Fresh or frozen, you'll need 3/4 to 1 cup.
