puff pastry dough

These ham-and-cheese bites are the perfect cocktail party appetizer, but you can also cut it into larger portions and serve with a simple side salad for a satisfying yet light meal.

Ham and Cheese Feuilleté

puff pastry,

All-purpose flour (for surface)

Dijon mustard,

Swiss cheese, thinly sliced

heavy cream

This recipe is one of our favorites from Martha Stewart’s Entertaining, our December 2018 Cookbook Club pick. These are the perfect cocktail party appetizer, but you can also cut it into larger portions and serve with a simple side salad for a satisfying yet light meal.

Bon Appétit

Roll out 1 package of puff pastry on a floured surface to a 16x12" rectangle. Transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and chill while you roll out remaining sheet of pastry. Transfer to another parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and chill both sheets of pastry until cold, about 15 minutes.

Transfer parchment with pastry to a clean surface. Spread ¼ cup mustard evenly over 1 sheet of pastry, leaving a ½" border around the edges. Layer ham, then cheese over mustard. Fold border of pastry up over edge of filling. Brush edges lightly with water. Arrange remaining sheet of pastry on top, then trim edges with kitchen shears or a sharp knife so top layer fits over bottom with no overhang. Crimp edges with a fork. Using parchment, slide pastry back onto baking sheet. Chill, uncovered, at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly beat egg and cream in a small bowl to blend. Brush egg wash evenly over puff pastry. Cut thin slits in a decorative pattern into top of pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake feuilleté, rotating pan halfway through, until puffed and deep golden brown, 30–35 minutes. Let cool slightly before cutting into 1½" squares. Serve warm with additional mustard alongside.

Do Ahead: Feuilleté can be assembled 12 hours ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and keep chilled.

This pull-apart puff pastry tart is the most impressive appetizer to “casually” pull out of the oven when your friends drop in (and it also happens to make a nice Thanksgiving snack for while the turkey rests—just sayin').

Spinach and Feta Tarte Soleil

puff pastry (2 sheets)

spinach

scallions

Tbsp. dill

Greek feta in brine (about ⅔ cup crumbled)

garlic

lemon

kosher salt,

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper,

All-purpose flour (for rolling)

When you need an impressive appetizer that you can “casually whip up" for friends (or bring to your friend's cousin's parents' house on Thanksgiving), buy a box of frozen puff pastry. Roll the sheets into rounds, create a pocket of spanakopita-inspired filling, then put your arts and crafts skillz to work. Don't worry if your tarte looks a little wonky going into the oven: Once it emerges, we guarantee that everyone will want to take a picture, even if it means waiting a few more minutes to start tearing off those cheesy, buttery twists. And that mini circle that's leftover in the middle? Consider that a chef's treat. When you're buying puff pastry, the two most common brands are Dufour and Pepperidge Farm. Either is fine, and both boxes come with two sheets of pastry.

Ideally, you’ve defrosted your 1 17.3-oz. package frozen puff pastry for at least 8 hours in the fridge. But if you haven’t, take the 2 rolled-up sheets out of the box and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Don’t unfold yet or they’ll crack. Set a timer for 10 minutes, flipping rolled-up sheets halfway through. If, after 10 minutes, they’re pliable enough, unfold, separate with a sheet of parchment, and chill. If not, wait another 5 minutes. Puff pastry goes from stiff to flabby and sticky in a matter of minutes, so you want to be careful.

Cut one slit in 2 10-oz. packages frozen spinach. Place both packages on a large, microwave-safe plate, then microwave until thawed, 8–10 minutes. (If you remembered to thaw your spinach in the fridge, you can skip the microwaving step.) Open packages carefully and drain in a fine-mesh sieve. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

While spinach cools, finely chop 2 scallions and transfer to a medium bowl. Finely chop 2 Tbsp. dill and add to bowl. Crumble 2½ oz. Greek feta in brine into small pieces (no bigger than dried chickpeas) and add to bowl. Grate in 2 garlic cloves and zest of 1 lemon. Season with 1 tsp. kosher salt and ¼ tsp. black pepper.

Transfer spinach to a dish towel and squeeze over the sink—you want to get rid of excess moisture that'll make your pastry soggy. You’ll be surprised by how little spinach is left, but that’s okay. Chop and add to bowl with scallion mixture.

Stir to combine, making sure to break up any spinach clumps. (You should have 2½ cups spinach mixture, in case you’re measuring.)

Time to assemble! Find a round object that’s 10–12" in diameter (the larger, the better). We used the lid of a large Dutch oven, which is 11". Place one of the pastry sheets, still on parchment, on a work surface or large cutting board. Dust lightly with flour, both over and under. Roll it out, rotating parchment 90° (so you’re rolling in all directions) and dusting with flour if pastry sticks, until it’s at least 1–2" larger than your round object.

Place round object over pastry, press to indent, then use a sharp knife to trace the circle. Set aside the excess pastry (save it for now; if your pastry tears, you can use a scrap to patch it up!). Transfer pastry round, still on parchment, to a baking sheet. Chill while you repeat with the second sheet of pastry.

Crack 1 large egg into a small bowl and beat to combine with a fork. Brush egg wash all along circumference of one pastry round (this will seal the two pieces of pastry together); reserve remaining egg wash for later. Spread spinach mixture over, leaving a ½" border. Place second round of pastry on top (if you’re having trouble moving it, fold it into quarters, then unfold on top of the spinach) and press gently to seal. Using a small cup or shot glass (2" in diameter), make an indent in the very center. Your pastry might be slightly warm by now. If so, chill 10–20 minutes.

Once pastry is cool, transfer the whole set-up, parchment and all, to a work surface. With a chef’s knife, cut pastry into 4 quadrants, stopping when you reach the center circle. Cut each quadrant in half, then in half again, so that you have 16 spokes. Transfer tarte with parchment back to sheet tray. (We’re doing this so that you can make sharp cuts and avoid transferring a delicate item.)

Working with one spoke at a time, pull gently away from the center (to extend the length of each piece), then twist to expose the spinach insides. Aim for three or four twists. Nudge them around to distribute evenly. Freeze until cold, 10–15 minutes.

Meanwhile, place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 400°. Brush tarte all over with reserved egg wash; season with salt and pepper. Bake tarte until risen and well browned all over, 30–35 minutes.

Not feeling the squares in this phyllo bites recipe? Use a pizza cutter to cut crackers into any shape you like!

Cheesy Sesame Phyllo Bites

phyllo pastry

unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled

black and white sesame seeds, divided

½ teaspoon smoked paprika, divided

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Gruyère, finely grated (about 2 cups), divided

Preheat oven to 375°. Place a sheet of phyllo on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush lightly with butter and top with a second sheet of phyllo, pressing gently to adhere. Brush with butter and top with another sheet, pressing gently again; brush with egg white. Sprinkle half of sesame seeds and half of paprika over phyllo; season with salt and pepper. Scatter half of Gruyère over top. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut phyllo into 2" squares. Bake crackers until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet 3 minutes before serving. Repeat with remaining phyllo, butter, egg white, sesame seeds, paprika, Gruyère, and more salt and pepper, building on another parchment-lined baking sheet.

Do Ahead: Crackers can be made 8 hours ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

The galette des rois, celebrating Epiphany, the day the Three Kings (les rois) visited the infant Jesus, is baked throughout January in France. Composed of two circles of puff pastry sandwiching a frangipani filling, each comes with a crown and always has a trinket, called a fève, or bean, baked into it. It’s an invitation to gather, as much party game as pastry – if your slice has the fève, you get the crown and the right to be king or queen for the day. Happily, the galette can be made to fit your schedule. The pastry circles can be cut, covered and refrigerated ahead of time as can the almond filling (it will keep for up to 3 days). And the whole construction can be made early in the day and baked when you’re ready for it. Tuck a bean or whole almond into the filling — warn your guests! — and, if there are children in the house, put them to work crafting a crown.

Galette des Rois

(85 grams) unsalted butter,

(85 grams) confectioners’ sugar

almond flour

salt

eggs,

rum (optional)

vanilla extract

9 1/2-inch-diameter

almond

Working with a mixer or by hand, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy and light. Beat in the almond flour and the salt. Mix in 1 whole egg, then the white from the second egg (reserve the yolk). Mix in the rum, if using, and the extract. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Mix the yolk with 1 teaspoon cold water; cover, and refrigerate until needed.

To make the filling:

Place one circle of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border bare. Press the charm into the filling. Moisten the border with cold water, position the second circle of dough over the filling and press around the border with your fingertips to seal well. Using the back of a table knife, scallop the edges by pushing into the dough (about 1/4- to 1/2-inch deep) every 1/2 inch or so. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 425. Brush a thin layer of the reserved yolk glaze over the top of the galette, avoiding the border (if glaze drips down the rim, the galette won’t rise). With the point of a paring knife, etch a design into the top of the galette, taking care not to pierce the dough. Cut 6 small slits in the top as steam vents.

Turn the heat down to 400, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the galette is puffed and deeply golden. Check after 20 minutes, and tent loosely with foil if it’s browning too much or too fast. Transfer to a rack, and cool for at least 15 minutes (the galette may deflate — that’s puff pastry for you). Serve warm or at room temperature.

To assemble:

A beautiful dessert where half of the work is done for you. That’s right, we’re using store-bought puff pastry. This tart can be made in a cake pan or cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet. While this is meant to be flexible, it’s important that the pastry on top be larger than the circumference of the pan you’re using (you’ll be tucking it into the pan), as the pastry will shrink considerably when baked. 

Upside-Down Apricot Tart

honey

sugar

kosher salt

unsalted butter

apple cider vinegar

lb. apricots (about 6), halved lengthwise, pits removed

puff pastry

pistachios,

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (for serving; optional)

A beautiful dessert where half of the work is done for you. That’s right, we’re using store-bought puff pastry. This tart can be made in a cake pan or cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet. While this is meant to be flexible, it’s important that the pastry on top be larger than the circumference of the pan you’re using (you’ll be tucking it into the pan), as the pastry will shrink considerably when baked. This is the dessert grand finale from Alison Roman’s “Steak House Night in America” menu, alongside: Martini Bar, Low-and-Slow Rib Roast, Baked Potatoes Deluxe, and The Greatest Creamed Greens.
Recipe adapted with permission from Nothing Fancy: Unfussy Food for Having People Over by Alison Roman (Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC). Copyright © 2019.

Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 425°. Cook honey, sugar, salt, and 2 Tbsp. water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until caramel turns dark amber in color (because of the honey, it can be hard to tell when the color changes; it should look like maple syrup). Remove caramel from heat and add butter and vinegar (be careful; mixture will bubble up). Stir with a wooden spoon or heatproof rubber spatula to incorporate.

Pour caramel into a 9"- or 10"-diameter cake, tart, or springform pan or skillet and swirl to evenly coat the bottom.

Arrange apricots, cut side down, in pan, letting them overlap slightly if needed. (Depending on the pan you use, you may not need all of them.)

Unfold pastry and gently roll out on a lightly floured surface just to soften the creases and corners. Prick pastry all over with a fork. Drape over pan, then, using kitchen shears, trim to make a circle that’s slightly larger than the circumference of the pan (remember, the dough will shrink as it bakes) and tuck into pan.

Bake tart until pastry is puffed and just golden, 15–20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375° and continue to bake until pastry is deep golden brown and fruit juices are bubbling, 15–20 minutes longer. Transfer tart to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes.

Invert a large plate over the top of the pan. Using a dish towel or oven mitts, flip tart over onto plate. Carefully remove pan. Top tart with pistachios.

Serve tart with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

Do Ahead: Tart can be baked 4 hours ahead. Leave in pan at room temperature. If caramel has set too firmly to release from pan, heat in a 375° oven 5 minutes to warm and loosen before turning out.

Rotisserie chicken, store-bought puff pastry, and just one skillet keep this hearty dinner recipe from feeling too fussy—or taking all day to make.

One-Skillet Rotisserie Chicken Pot Pie

2–3 lb. rotisserie chicken

onions

turnips

Tbsp. thyme leaves (from about 2 sprigs)

1½ tsp. black pepper

Tbsp. all-purpose flour,

dry white wine

heavy cream, divided

frozen peas

14-oz. box puff pastry,

Who doesn't like chicken pot pie? Rotisserie chicken, store-bought puff pastry, and just one skillet keep this hearty dinner recipe from feeling too fussy—or taking all day to make. If you've never worked with frozen puff pastry before, know this: Letting it thaw overnight in the fridge overnight is non-negotiable. If you try to work with puff pastry that is not fully thawed, it'll crack and become a whole mess, and nobody wants that. But just the smallest bit of planning ahead will be rewarded with buttery, flaky, pot pie perfection.

Place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 400°. Remove and discard skin of 1 rotisserie chicken, then shred meat into 1" pieces (you should have 4–5 cups meat); set aside. You won't need the bones and carcass from the chicken for this recipe, but that doesn't mean you should throw them out—sling them into a saucepan, cover with water, add whatever aromatics you've got lying around, and you've got the makings of a couple decent quarts of chicken stock.

Time to prep your vegetables! Cut 2 onions in half through root, trim root ends, then peel. Finely chop onion and transfer to a medium bowl.

Peel 1 lb. turnips, then trim off knobby root ends. Cut in half through the root end. Cut each half into ¾"-thick planks, then finely chop planks into ¾" pieces. Transfer to another medium bowl.

Lightly smash 6 garlic cloves with the flat side of a chef’s knife. Peel, then coarsely chop. Transfer to bowl with turnips.

Add 1 Tbsp. thyme leaves (from about 2 sprigs) to bowl with turnips and garlic.

Melt 3 Tbsp. butter in a 12" skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat. (Just make sure whatever you're using is oven-safe—you don't want a melting plastic handle.) Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft but not browned, 5–6 minutes.

Add turnip mixture, season with 1 tsp. salt and 1½ tsp. pepper, and cook, stirring often, until just beginning to soften, 3 minutes.

Sprinkle 3 Tbsp. flour over vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, until flour begins to stick to bottom of pan, about 30 seconds. The flour is going to help thicken the gravy you're trying to create.

Add 1 cup wine and cook, stirring constantly, to burn off some of the alcohol, about 1 minute.

Set aside 1 Tbsp. cream. Add remaining cream, reserved chicken, 10 oz. peas, and 1½ tsp. salt and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Cook, tossing occasionally, until warmed through, 3–4 minutes. Transfer skillet to a rimmed baking sheet, which will prevent any juices that bubble out of the pan from spilling onto your oven floor.

Roll out 14 oz. puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 13" square (large enough to cover skillet with a bit of overhang). Roll pastry up onto rolling pin. (You could use an empty wine bottle if you don't have a rolling pin.) Unfurl pastry from rolling pin, draping it over skillet.

Trim pastry so that there is a 1" border all around. Fold edge of puff pastry under itself. Crimp edges with a fork (just like you would do when making the top crust of a pie).

Using a pastry brush, brush top of pastry with reserved cream. Cut 5–6 small slits in the center so steam can escape. Bake pot pie until crust is light golden brown, 22–24 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350° and continue to bake until filling is bubbling around the edges and crust is well browned, 25–35 minutes longer. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Spiced apples, baked underneath a layer casual layer of sugar-rolled puff pastry, make this pandowdy the easiest fall dessert ever. 

Apple Pandowdy

apples

⅔ cup (packed) dark brown sugar

all-purpose flour,

cinnamon

ginger

Granulated sugar (for sprinkling)

vanilla ice cream

Funny name, serious—and seriously easy—dessert. This apple pandowdy recipe is so delicious that we're just going to have to say...cobbler: You’ve been warned.

Preheat oven to 425°. Cook 6 Tbsp. butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling often, until bubbling and golden, about 5 minutes; set aside.

Prepare your apples: Using a vegetable peeler, remove peel from apples. Stand them upright and slice down along core, working all the way around to remove big lobes of flesh. Cut lobes lengthwise into 1" pieces (irregular shapes are fine). Discard peel and cores. Transfer apples to a large bowl.

Add ⅔ cup dark brown sugar, 3 Tbsp. flour, 1 Tbsp. vanilla, 2 tsp. cinnamon, and ½ tsp. salt to bowl with apples.

Using a microplane or fine rasp grater, grate zest of ½ lemon over apples. Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice from zested half over apples, catching any seeds. Using peeler, remove peel from ginger, then grate over apples.

Toss apple mixture until combined, then transfer to a shallow 3-qt. baking dish. Drizzle all but 2 Tbsp. brown butter over apples.

Dust cutting board with a light coating of flour and unfold puff pastry on floured surface. Dust top with flour. Cut puff pastry into irregular 1" pieces (any shape is fine).

Arrange pieces of puff pastry over apples, overlapping but spreading to cover almost completely. Brush pastry with remaining brown butter. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Bake pandowdy until pastry is puffed and golden around edges, 25–30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and continue to bake until juices are thick and bubbling and pastry is brown all over, 30–35 minutes longer.

Using a spoon, press pastry down into warm juices (but don’t submerge); let cool slightly.

Do Ahead: Pandowdy can be made 1 day ahead. Let cool. Cover loosely with foil and store at room temperature. Reheat uncovered in a 200° oven 20 minutes before serving.

How to make a peach tarte tatin that's flaky perfection. It's all about letting the peach juices reduce so that you have caramel glaze on top—never a bad thing. 

Peach Tarte Tatin

freestone yellow peaches (about 2 pounds), halved, pitted

bourbon

vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Browning the peaches before baking them in the pastry is the key. Cook the peaches until they’re soft enough to release some of their juices and then reduce that liquid so it just coats the pan. The result is a tarte Tatin with a light, flaky crust and perfectly glazed fruit.

Preheat oven to 425°. Toss peaches and 2 Tbsp. sugar in a large bowl; let sit, tossing occasionally, until they release some of their juices, 20–30 minutes.

Meanwhile, scatter remaining ⅓ cup sugar evenly across a heavy 8” skillet, preferably cast iron. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is melted and starting to caramelize (it should be pale amber at this point), about 5 minutes. Continue to cook, without stirring, until caramel is a deep amber color, about another 5 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat; mix in butter, then gradually add bourbon, stirring constantly. Caramel will seize initially but smooth out again later, so don’t worry. Add salt and scrape in vanilla seeds; reserve pod for another use. Set skillet over medium-low heat and stir until any hardened caramel is dissolved, about 4 minutes. Scrape peaches into skillet and cook, gently stirring occasionally, until they’ve softened and released more juices, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer peaches to a medium bowl and continue to cook caramel in skillet until there is just enough to cover surface, 6–8 minutes. Return peaches to skillet and arrange skin side down; remove skillet from heat.

Gently roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface just to smooth out creases; cut out a 10” round. Drape over peaches and tuck edges into pan. (It’s okay if it doesn’t look perfect. You just want to make sure the dough is tucked in all the way around). Bake until pastry begins to puff, 20–25 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and continue to bake until pastry is golden brown and cooked all the way through, 20–25 minutes longer. Transfer skillet to a wire rack and let tarte Tatin cool 25 minutes before inverting onto a platter.

No dinner party appetizer is quite as addictive as these flaky cheese twists. Made with store-bought puff pastry, they come together in a snap.

Crispy Cheese Twists

All-purpose flour (for dusting)

sweet paprika, divided

cayenne pepper, divided

Kosher salt

black pepper

Store-bought puff pastry is the MVP of party appetizers, and it has no higher calling than these crispy, buttery cheese straws. This flaky pre-made dough comes frozen, and it’s best to let it thaw slowly overnight in the refrigerator to prevent splitting and cracking when rolling out.

Grate 6 oz. cheese on the medium holes of a box grater. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 400°.
→  Oh, is that the only side of the box grater you use? Read this.

Dust work surface lightly with flour and unfold or unroll puff pastry on surface. Roll out lightly with a rolling pin to smooth creases, then cut pastry in half crosswise. (If you’re using a brand of puff pastry that comes with 2 sheets instead of 1, just roll out each piece lightly but don’t cut.)

Mix 1 egg yolk and 1 tsp. water with pastry brush in a small bowl. Lightly brush egg wash across surface of 1 piece of pastry.

Sprinkle half of grated cheese all over egg-washed surface in an even layer.

Using your fingertips and holding your hand at least 8" above the surface, sprinkle ½ tsp. paprika, then ⅛ tsp. cayenne over cheese. Season with salt (go easy if you’re already using a salty cheese like Parm), then very generously season with black pepper.

Place second sheet of puff pastry over top, aligning edges, and press gently to flatten. Lightly brush surface of second sheet with more egg wash.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese, paprika, and cayenne; season with salt and pepper.

Dust rolling pin with a bit more flour. Gently roll over top of pastry (yes, you’re rolling directly over the cheese). If bottom layer of pastry starts to stick, dust underneath with more flour, or if rolling pin starts to stick to cheese, dust pin with more flour. Roll pastry out to a long rectangle just under ¼" thick. The dimensions aren’t important, but try to keep the rectangle under a foot in length (otherwise, the straws will be too long to handle).

Using your knife, cut rectangle into ½"-thick strips. For fewer straws that are longer, cut lengthwise. For more straws that are shorter (and easier to handle), cut crosswise.

Working one strip at a time, transfer to prepared sheets and twist 2 ends in opposite directions several times. Repeat, spacing twists about 1" apart, until you’ve used all the pastry and filled both sheets.

Bake cheese straws, rotating pans once top to bottom and front to back, until golden brown and cheese is toasted and crisp, 12–18 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets. Carefully remove from parchment and serve.

Do Ahead: Unbaked twists can be made 1 month ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic on baking sheet and freeze. Bake directly from freezer without thawing (increase bake time by several minutes).

For these baked empanadas, Gaby Melian says the addition of green olives and raisins in the filling is essential. 

Argentinian Beef Empanadas 

Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

ground beef (20% fat)

onions,

red bell peppers, seeded, chopped

Tbsp. cumin

Tbsp. sweet paprika

oregano

cayenne pepper

chicken stock

raisins

(12 each) Puff Pastry Dough for Turnovers/Empanadas (preferably Goya)

olives

There are as many variations of empanadas as there are cooks in Argentina. This version was developed by BA Test Kitchen Manager Gaby Melian, who is from Buenos Aires and was taught as a little girl by family members how to make them. After years of perfecting her method, she prefers the empanadas baked, not fried, and the addition of green olives and raisins in the filling is essential. See step-by-step instructions here and get the chicken empanadas recipe here.

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large pot over high. Cook beef, breaking up with a spoon, until browned but not completely cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving as much fat in pan as possible.

Reduce heat to medium and cook onion, bell peppers, and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, stirring, until tender but not browned, 6–8 minutes; season with salt and black pepper. Add cumin, paprika, oregano, and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken stock and reserved beef along with any accumulated juices to pot. Stir in sugar, 4 tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, until most of the liquid is evaporated, 15–20 minutes; taste and season with salt and black pepper, if needed. Stir in raisins. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and chill at least 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375°. Let dough sit at room temperature 15 minutes to temper. Remove 6 rounds from package, keeping plastic divider underneath, and arrange on a work surface. Place 2 Tbsp. filling in the center of each round. Top with 2 olive halves. Brush water around half of outer edge of each round. Using plastic divider to help you, fold round over filling and pinch edges to seal. Using a fork, crimp edges. Remove plastic and transfer empanada to a parchment-lined sheet tray, spacing 1" apart. Repeat with remaining rounds (you’ll get about 12 empanadas on each tray).

Bake empanadas, rotating tray halfway through, until golden brown and slightly darker around the edges, 25–35 minutes.

Do Ahead: Filling can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled. Unbaked empanadas can be made 3 months ahead; freeze on sheet tray, then transfer to freezer bags and keep frozen.

Using frozen puff pastry is the shortcut that makes this tart a new summer weeknight favorite recipe.

Tomato-Lemon Tart

garlic clove, finely grated

olive oil, divided,

basil leaves

tomatoes

Crème fraîche (for serving)

Preheat oven to 375°. Roll out puff pastry on a sheet of lightly floured parchment paper, smoothing out creases, to a large rectangle measuring about 15x10". Prick pastry in a few places with a fork, leaving a 1" border around the edges, then slide parchment paper onto a rimmed baking sheet.

Combine garlic and 1 Tbsp. oil in a small bowl and brush dough with garlic oil, staying within border. Arrange lemon slices in a single layer over brushed pastry, then scatter basil over lemon slices.

Arrange tomatoes on top (a little overlap is okay). Sprinkle with lots of salt and a few grinds of pepper, then drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil.

Bake tart until edges of pastry are browned, puffed, and crisp, 30–35 minutes. Let tart cool 10 minutes before cutting into 8 pieces. Drizzle with more oil and top each with a dollop of crème fraîche.

Yes, this is an impressive-looking, deliciously savory tart. And no, it’s not at all difficult to make. The peak season leeks and store-bought puff pastry are doing all the hard work for you.

Top 18 puff pastry dough recipes from across the web

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Ham and Cheese Feuilleté

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Galette des Rois

Upside-Down Apricot Tart

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Apple Pandowdy

Peach Tarte Tatin

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Tomato-Lemon Tart

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Top 18 puff pastry dough recipes from across the web

The most viewed puff pastry dough recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Ham and Cheese Feuilleté

Spinach and Feta Tarte Soleil

Cheesy Sesame Phyllo Bites

Galette des Rois

Upside-Down Apricot Tart

One-Skillet Rotisserie Chicken Pot ...

Apple Pandowdy

Peach Tarte Tatin

Crispy Cheese Twists

Argentinian Beef Empanadas

Tomato-Lemon Tart

Upside-Down Caramelized Leek Tart

Dominique Ansel's Rainbow Mille-Feu...

Char Siu Wellington

Samosa Tart With Caramelized Onions...

Skillet Phyllo Pie with Butternut S...

Ham and Cheese Hand Pies With Honey...

Sheet-Pan Hazelnut Breakfast Tart

The most viewed puff pastry dough recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine