If you’ve got ready-rolled puff pastry in your freezer, and a few tasty odds and ends in the fridge, you’ll never be short of something to impress last-minute guests with!
When we finally got home last week after our looooong flight from Australia, we both felt desperate to eat something other than sloppy gloop with rice and beyond-weird spongy things in packets.
We’d also gone on a bit of a salad binge while over in Perth, after months of ‘salad deprivation’ over here in wintery England, and that’s what we were both still craving.
But the weather didn’t seem to have warmed up one single degree while we’d been away. So, the next day for lunch I decided to skip the salad after all and throw together a quick puff pastry tart with toppings inspired by the flavours in the salad I’d enjoyed the most while away: classic pear, feta and walnut. Mmmm!
If you’ve never made a savoury puff pastry tart, you really are missing out. I make them all the time, because they look impressive with hardly any effort. They’re posh enough looking to serve to guests, but you won’t have to spend all morning in the kitchen making them = exactly what this lazy girl likes. Especially this jet-lagged lazy girl!
This baby tomato, pesto and prosciutto tart is one of the most popular recipes on this blog, and I’m not really surprised by that. Doesn’t everyone love baby tomatoes, pesto and prosciutto?
But pear, feta and walnut seems like a bit more of a left-field choice for a tart topping, right? Well, maybe, but for me it really does work. Now that I’ve got my head around pears being the stars of the show in something savoury, that is!
But why not? The resulting taste is salty, sweet, crunchy, juicy, and tangy all at the same time. What more could you want to get you right in the mood for spring? Or Autumn, if you happen to be where we were last week. 😉
You can serve this puff pastry tart by itself, but I think a simple green salad and dressing on the side is the perfect accompaniment.
So what do you reckon? Does the idea of fruit and cheese on a pastry tart float your boat? I hope you’re brave enough to give it a try.
P.S. Take a look at this post for more ‘process’ photos e.g. how to score the border around the edge of the tart!
Pear, feta and walnut tart
Ingredients
- 1 ready-rolled puff pastry sheet roughly 375 grams / 13 ounces
- 4-5 tablespoons crème fraiche or sour cream
- 3 small firm pears or 2 larger ones, cut into thin wedges (about 3mm thick)
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
- 1 handful walnut pieces lightly crushed / broken
- a large drizzle of squeezy honey
- freshly ground black pepper
- rocket / arugula salad leaves to decorate and to serve
Instructions
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Pre-heat the oven to 200C / 390F.
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Lay the pastry sheet out on a baking tray lined with baking paper (trim the pastry slightly if you need to), then score a 1.5 – 2cm border all the way around the edge with a knife (taking care not to cut all the way through).
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Bake for 7 minutes until the pastry is all puffed up, then remove from the oven.
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Push the inside of the tart down inside the border, then spread the crème fraiche / sour cream all over this part. Add the pear slices in an overlapping pattern, then return the tart to the oven for 15 minutes until golden and risen.
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Remove the tart from the oven again and crumble over the feta and sprinkle over the walnuts. Bake for another 5 minutes.
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To serve, drizzle over a little honey, grind over some black pepper, and scatter over a few rocket / arugula leaves.
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Serve with a simple rocket / arugula salad.
Recipe Notes
Try to use firm pears. If they're too ripe, you'll risk making the pastry soggy.
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Chrissy says
Pear walnut feta is a match made in heaven. Welcome home!
Helen says
Hi Chrissy, and thank you! 🙂
Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom says
Welcome home, Helen! I hope you guys had a wonderful time! I would definitely be happy to come home to this awesome tart, warmer weather or not 🙂 Any time you can mix savory and sweet into one delicious bite – I’m all in!
Helen says
Thanks so much, Kathleen. It was really hard to come back to the cold weather again, but cooking some tasty things definitely did help!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
What a lovely Spring dish. Pear and feta go so well together, so I will definitely be giving this a go.
Helen says
Hope you do, Dannii! 🙂
[email protected] says
I love a savory puff pastry tart, I just love puff pastry in general. The flavor combinations of your tart are perfect, I may be able to eat one to myself.
Helen says
Go ahead, Janette – I could eat a whole one too!
[email protected] says
Oh please! The flight isn’t THAT long!!! It’s 4 hours shorter than from here anyway 🙂 I make something similar, no surprises there, we have such similar tastes! I’m totally with you on the puff pastry, it has saved me many a time!!
Helen says
Well, I’ll give it to you that you can get back from Perth in the same day. Unfortunately though you set out from here on a Monday and don’t get there until Wednesday. I call that a loooong way indeed!! (but yes ok, not as far as Sydney!) 🙂
Bam's Kitchen says
This delicious puff pastry tart with sweet and savory toppings is just what you need to face the cold and wetness of the UK. I bet you have wellies in every color! Do you know the first time I enjoyed rocket was on a trip to Cambridge enjoying a really unique pizza with sweet potatoes and rocket and I love that peppery taste and freshness it gives to any dish. Wishing you a very super week Helen
Helen says
Thank you so much, Bam! I don’t have wellies in every colour, but I do have a particularly snazzy pink pair with big bright flowers all over them to cheer me up! 🙂
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
It looks delicious! And it sounds like the airline food was a bit traumatising (I’m assuming that’s what you meant by the gloop and spongey thing in plastic packet). I just made a lot of puff pastry so this would be great to do with it! 😀
Helen says
Thanks, Lorraine! I can’t believe you make your own puff pastry… can’t wait to see what you make with it!
Marissa says
Love your photos Helen and this savory tart looks incredible.
Glad you’re home safe and sound from your LONG flight. (I’m not a fan of flying) And you made me laugh out loud with, “sloppy gloop with rice and beyond-weird spongy things in packets” – sounds about right. 🙂
Helen says
Thanks, Marissa! Always happy to be home safe and sound, BUT… I wish I was still there!!
P.S. I’m not a fan of flying either – I hate the take-off!
mira says
Glad you are back Helen! Yeah, I love salad when the weather is warmer! This tart looks gorgeous! Love the combination!
Helen says
Thank you, Mira! I’m happy to be back in some ways, but definitely missing the sun!
Eva says
Miam Miam, c’est idéal pour un apéro dinatoire! Quoi que, je pense que je pourrais mangé cette tarte à n’importe quelle heure de la journée! Bon weekend Helen!
Helen says
Merci, Eva! 🙂
CHRISTINE COOK says
Just made this for a dinner party down here in New Zealand. Came out perfectly. Exactly my kind of recipe – easy, pretty quick, and all ingredient were on hand or very easy to get. But most of all it’s DELICIOUS! Great taste combo with pear / feta and walnuts. I threw on a few pecans as well.
If there’s any leftovers I might even try it tomorrow minus the arugula and have it with ice cream ! Is that crazy?
Im known for not being a cook so thanks so much for this type of ‘cant get it wrong’ recipe… this one will be repeated many times !
Helen says
Hello, Christine. You’ve made my day with this comment! I doubted this recipe a bit when I first posted it, so I’m thrilled to read that you’re going to eat the leftovers with ice cream – wonderful! (I may be tempted to pick off the feta though if I did that!) ‘Can’t get it wrong’ recipes are my very favourite, and I’m so glad you appreciate them too.
I have another similar tart on the blog with tomatoes, pesto and prosciutto. That was delicious, too, and I hope you try it some time! 🙂
Lyndsey says
Hi there, can these be made ahead and frozen?
Helen says
Hi Lyndsey,
I’ve had a little think about this and I actually don’t think these lend themselves very well to freezing. They are however really quick and easy to assemble just before cooking because you’re using ready made (pre frozen and thawed if you like) pastry. You’re also using creme fraiche and sprinking over walnuts and feta towards the end of cooking so it just wouldn’t work to have them all assembled and frozen beforehand.
I really hope you still give these a go. They’re delicious and I think you’ll find them really quick and easy to make.
P.S. You could prepare all the elements ahead e.g. cut the pastry into squares and put in the fridge, peel and chop the pears.