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This vegetarian tart recipe was inspired by the madness of moving. A little over two weeks before we move (with a 10 day vacation to Colorado in there) and I’m starting to get into ‘OMG WE HAVE SO MUCH SH*T’ mode. Okay, to be real, I have so much sh*t and it starts with the kitchen – two blenders, really? Four bottles of vanilla extract? A freezer full of unidentifiable leftover soups and stews? I’ve managed to accumulate an awful lot of unnecessarily junk within the three years we’ve lived in this house and somehow have to sort through it in the 7 evenings I have free between now and when our new lease starts.

With all that being said, I’ve found the easiest (although not the fastest) solution so far in the kitchen as been to eat my way through it. A perfect example of this is this tart – I came across an unopened box of puff pastry in the freezer and decided to top it with all the leftover veggies that I could find in the crisper. The sauce was inspired by an unopened roasted red pepper jar that has been hidden in the very back of our way-too-tall-for-me pantry cabinet (a jar that I most likely had inspirational ideas for at one point but it got lost in the mix somehow).

The reason I had a tart on my mind to begin with is because my Ma had made a delicious vegetarian tart when we went up north for a wedding a few weeks back. She actually (which is totally genius) topped the veggies with the puff pastry halfway through the baking process and then just flipped the tart before serving. I wanted to add a sauce to mine so I decided not to go that route but a great concept to keep in mind when wanting to whip a tart up with even less fuss.

Also, and I know this might ruin this recipe for you, I have to giggle when I think of any sort of vegetarian tart like this. Maybe it’s just me but I got dragged to a lot of make-up and Tupperware parties when I was little that my friends’ moms would put on and the ‘organizer’ would always come with 2 recipe cards that were always the same: a light and refreshing punch and a veggie pizza that was made with frozen puff pastry, cream cheese, and already chopped raw veggies (broccoli, carrots, and bell peppers). I can’t help but think of all those really corny parties whenever I whip up a tart out of frozen puff pastry (anyone else? Or is that just me? Maybe I ran in a weird crowd growing up or maybe it’s just a weird freaking Midwest America thing).

The best part about this recipe is it’s all about using up the abundance of your garden and any leftover vegetable / herb scraps you have on hand so feel free to follow this recipe very loosely and swap in whatever you are feeling. Another great thing about this recipe is that it’s beyond simple – the instructions are easy to follow and the prepping is quick which is perfect for these dog days of summer that were meant to be enjoyed on your porch with a G&T and magazine. You could even substitute the spread for store-bought hummus if you don’t feel like getting your blender dirty.

Garden Tart With Roasted Red Pepper & Feta Spread recipe below:

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Vegetarian Garden Tart With Roasted Red Pepper & Feta Spread Recipe

This Vegetarian Garden Tart With Roasted Red Pepper & Feta Spread Recipe is the perfect way to use up all your bountiful summer produce.

Course: Main

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Shelly Westerhausen

Ingredients

• 2 sheets of puff pastry , thawed (one package)
• 3-4 cups of vegetables , chopped into 1 inch pieces (I used tomatoes, corn, onions, zucchini, and squash)
• 2-3 Sprigs of fresh thyme or Rosemary
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 ounces of feta + more for garnish
• 6 ounces of roasted red pepper preserved in oil , oil removed
• 2 garlic cloves
• Salt / Pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place the puff pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer your chopped vegetables and herbs onto it.
2. Drizzle the olive oil and a little salt / pepper over your veggies and stir until they are all coated.
3. Transfer both the vegetables and puff pastry to the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until everything just starts to brown (the veggies may take a bit longer depending on how large you chopped your vegetables).
4. Remove from oven once browned and let cool slightly.
5. While the puff pastry and vegetables are baking, puree the feta, roasted red pepper, and garlic cloves in a high speed blender or food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Spread the red pepper sauce over the puff pastry and top with the roasted vegetables and herbs. Garnish with more herbs and feta.

Recipe Notes

Easily half the recipe and save the other sheet of puff pastry for a later use.