A Showstopper Colorful Spring Vegetable Tart

When you entertain family and friends, do you have a specific style or dish that you like to include? I am all about creating a beautiful table which includes delicious recipes as well as a tabletop design that reflects the look I want. This colorful Spring Vegetable Tart is served in my new favorite find from Peugeot Saveurs.

Now, you may know Peugeot Saveurs as the iconic, world class French manufacturer of spice mills. Having worked in the housewares industry for so long, I am very familiar with their gorgeous and extremely well-made salt and pepper mills. These are their u’Select Paris Manual Wooden Salt and Pepper Mills in Graphite.  Their engineering expertise sets them apart from any other brand when it comes to the caliber of mechanicals and design.

In fact, they show their confidence in their manufacturing know-how by offering extensive warranties on their products:

• All Peugeot steel mechanisms come with a lifetime warranty.
• For the mill body:
  • Electric – two years from the date of purchase
  • Manual – five years from the date of purchase
• Peugeot Appolia ceramic bakeware collection comes with a ten year warranty.

I recently learned that Peugeot has designed a line of glazed ceramics known as Appolia. This line is so elegant and sophisticated yet can take you from a casual to fancy presentation. The sleekness can be seen in the smoothness of each piece and the richness of the color. Interestingly, the type of materials used to manufacture this bakeware helps to protect it from breaking and scratches and makes clean up a breeze.

In my kitchen, I have a variety of types of cookware and bakeware. I look for pieces that are well made and can be used not only to cook with but also to serve in.  For example, this tart dish is a multi-tasking piece for my cooking style. With a name like “Tart Dish” you may think that it will only work for desserts. I see it going from sweet to savory like this colorful Spring Vegetable Tart. Plus, it will look beautiful on my table or buffet. 

Peugeot just came out with this line of stunning grey items in their Appolia bakeware (Slate) and in their iconic Paris salt and pepper mills (Graphite). I absolutely love the look of these contemporary works of art and proudly display the mills on my countertop for ease of use. (and to show them off!)  One of the other notable Peugeot characteristics are the grind levels that are marked on the salt and pepper mills. Equipped with an adjustment ring that ranges from fine grind at level 1 to the coarsest setting at level 6, you choose the setting that will season your dish exactly as you prefer. Manufactured using wood sourced from PEFC™-certified forests and featuring water-based paint and varnish, the Paris graphite mills are produced in France and designed to respect the environment. Their high-performance steel mechanisms come with a lifetime warranty. 

For this Spring Vegetable Tart, I am using the 12 inch Tart Dish. This colorful recipe is such a statement on your table and can be adjusted to include the vegetables you like most – whether seasonal or by color or flavor. You can also choose to add cheese to the base of the crust along with the pesto or sprinkle it along the top of the tart.

Some tips for you when making this recipe:

• It is important to slice each of the vegetables the same thinness to ensure even baking.
• Use a mandolin or vegetable peeler to achieve the thinness you want.
• Start in the center of the tart, making the first couple vegetable rolls as tight as possible.
• Using olive oil on each of the vegetable slices will act as a glue to hold them to each circle as your color wheel gets bigger. I kept a bowl filled with olive oil and dipped each vegetable slice into it just to get a light coat.
• You can make your own pie crust or use one that is already prepared. Since this is a 12” tart dish, you will need to use one full pie crust and a half of the second that comes in the box. Roll out the dough so that the two parts become one.
• To make sure that the tart comes out of the pan without sticking, add a piece of wax paper to the bottom of the dish.
• When baking the crust, first prick the dough with a fork to release any air that could make the dough expand. Then add a layer of wax paper on top of the dough and pour dried beans on top to keep the dough even as it bakes.
• I used basil pesto as the base of the vegetable tart but you could use any flavor pesto, olive oil and garlic or tomato sauce that you like.
• While this is a time consuming recipe, it is not difficult at all. Slicing all the vegetables and making the spiral is where your time will go. But it is so worth it in the end! It’s a showstopper dish!

To learn more about Peugeot Saveurs products, please visit their Instagram and click on the LinkTree link in the profile header to view the latest products and recipes. You can also follow them on Facebook, as well as visit their website to learn more about Peugeot products and recipe inspiration.

Enjoy!