The Savory Vegetable Tart is the perfect solution for a quick dinner, a get-together with friends, or an outdoor picnic. With its crispy puff pastry base and a heart of smoked scamorza, this tart turns simple seasonal vegetables into a gourmet dish. It’s a versatile recipe that you can customize based on what you have in your fridge, creating a wonderful visual effect thanks to the neatly arranged ingredients.
The secret to making it irresistible is the layer of cheese at the base: as it melts, it creates a barrier that protects the pastry from the moisture of the vegetables, keeping it flaky. Let’s see how you can prepare this rainbow savory tart in just a few minutes.
If you like puff pastry recipes, try the savory tart with potatoes and stracchino, the rolled savory tart, the savory vegetable tart or the savory zucchini tart.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients for Preparing the Savory Vegetable Tart
- 2 potatoes
- 1 eggplant
- 2 zucchini
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 roll rectangular puff pastry
- 3.5 oz scamorza slices
- 1 oz Parmesan
- to taste salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Tools
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- Baking Tray
Steps for Preparing the Savory Vegetable Tart
Start by washing all the vegetables thoroughly. Thinly slice the potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper. Try to keep all the slices uniformly thick to ensure even baking and an impeccable aesthetic result.
Unroll the puff pastry and place it in a baking tray (either rectangular or round works) while keeping its baking paper. Fully cover the base with the scamorza slices: this melting layer will be the tasty surprise that will win everyone over with the first cut.
Now have fun assembling your tart: cover the cheese with the vegetable slices, arranging them in neat rows by type. Alternate the colors of the potatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, and eggplants to create a beautiful decorative effect that will make your dish unique.
Finish the preparation by seasoning with a pinch of salt, a grind of pepper, the Parmesan, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Bake your savory tart in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 30-40 minutes. It will be ready when the edges of the pastry are puffed and golden, and the vegetables are well cooked.
Tips for a Perfect Result
Thin slices: if the potatoes are very large, slice them thinly (perhaps with the help of a mandolin) to ensure they cook well in the pastry’s time.
Seasonal vegetables: this recipe changes every month! In the fall, you can try with pumpkin and mushrooms, always maintaining the base of scamorza.
Moisture management: If the eggplants and zucchinis are very watery, pat them with paper towels after slicing. This will prevent them from releasing too much moisture during cooking.
Base cooking: If your oven tends to overcook the top, place the baking tray on the lowest rack for the first 15 minutes, so the base becomes crispy without burning the vegetables.
Variants
Aromatic touch: add some fresh thyme leaves or chopped rosemary on top of the potatoes for an even more intense aroma.
Lactose-free: use a plant-based pastry and lactose-free scamorza (or a vegan cheese) to make the recipe suitable for everyone.
Cheese substitution: If you don’t like the smoky note of scamorza, use sweet provola, emmental, or asiago. Avoid fresh mozzarella unless it’s been well-drained for hours, as it would release too much water.
Autumn version: Substitute zucchini and bell peppers with thin slices of Mantua pumpkin and champignon mushrooms. The procedure remains the same, and the result is delicious.
Storage
In the fridge: the savory tart keeps well for 2 days when stored in an airtight container.
How to serve it: it is delicious freshly baked, but also shines cold or warm, making it ideal for a packed lunch at the office.
How to reheat it: To restore the crispiness of the pastry, reheat it for a few minutes in the oven or air fryer. Avoid the microwave as it would make it soggy.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use shortcrust pastry?
Of course! Shortcrust pastry is a great alternative if you prefer a less flaky, more compact base, similar to a savory pie.
Do the vegetables need to be pre-cooked?
No, in this recipe the vegetables cook directly in the oven with the pastry. The important thing is to slice them thinly so that the cooking times match.
Can I prepare it in advance?
Yes, you can assemble it and keep it in the fridge for a couple of hours before baking it. However, I advise against leaving it raw for too long because the salted vegetables will start to release water.
What if the vegetables burn but the pastry is undercooked?
Every oven is different. If you see that the vegetables are already golden but the pastry is still pale, cover the tray with aluminum foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes.
