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Truffled Ham & Cheese Tart

  • Prep Time:
  • 45 mins
  • Cook Time:
  • 45 mins
  • Total Time:
  • 1 hour(s)
  • 30 mins

Meet your new holiday party hero. This savory slab tart only requires 7 ingredients, isn't fussy to assemble and will elicit a record number of mmms at your next joyous gathering. Take this tart the next level by shaving fresh black truffle over the ham or brushing the pastry with black truffle oil right before baking. As the tart bakes, the heat from cooking allows the truffle flavor to bloom and infuse through the whole filling. Our favorite pairing for this easy appetizer?  Lots of brut bubbles, friends and merriment!  

Recipe, food styling and photography by Asha Loupy

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

  • Two 14-17.5-ounce packages frozen puff pastry (2 sheets total), defrosted
  • All-purpose flour, for dusting
  • 1/2 cup crème fraîche
  • 8 ounces aged gruyère cheese
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, plus more for serving
  • 12 ounces thinly sliced ham, such as French Jambon
  • One egg, beaten

Instructions

To assemble the tart, roll out one sheet of puff pastry into a 18x14-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer the rolled puff pastry to a parchment-lined baking sheet and set aside (this will be the bottom of your tart). Roll out the other puff pastry sheet to about 19x15-inches (this will be the top of your tart) and leave on your work space.

In a medium bowl, mix the grated cheese and crème fraîche until combined and set aside.

Spread an even layer of mustard on the reserved puff pastry on the parchment-lined sheet, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Layer the thinly sliced ham over the mustard. Dollop the reserved cheese and crème fraîche over the ham, spreading it into as even a layer as possible. Brush the border with a thin layer of the beaten egg, reserving the rest of the egg wash for the top of the tart.

Gently transfer the other sheet of rolled puff pastry and arrange it on top so the edges meet and the filling is fully enclosed. Press the the borders together to bind them and then using a fork, press down on the edges to crimp and further seal the tart. Place the tart in freezer for 30 minutes (this will chill the butter in the puff pastry resulting in a super flaky finished tart).

While the tart is chilling, preheat the oven to 400°F. 

Remove the tart from the freezer and brush the whole surface with a thin layer of the remaining egg wash. Cut a few small slits in a decorative circle to allow steam to escape when baking. Bake the tart until the puff pastry is cooked through and golden brown, about 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes before cutting, this allows the cheese to set and not run all over the place when you slice it.

To serve, slice the tart into squares and arrange on a platter. Serve a small bowl of mustard on the side.