It was a perfect summer day in Paris. We eagerly headed to the local boulangerie to pick up a few items for our picnic in the Jardin de Luxembourg. We peered through the glass case, debating which goodies we should share – my husband and I opted for savory and our two teenagers for something sweet. I landed on the vegetable tian tart, knowing it would be a beautiful balance of vibrant flavors from the summer veggies on top of flaky, croissant type layers. My family questioned my choice, but being their personal chef for years, I knew they would love it.

We entered the park and quickly spotted the perfect bench for our quintessential garden picnic. My husband opened a bottle of wine, while I laid out the meal. We started with the vegetable tian tart that gained the most speculation during our boulangerie visit. We passed it around and each person bit into the crisp crust and beautiful sauce underneath refreshing summer vegetables. The facial expressions were all the same as they slowly savored the delicate flavor and texture that coated their palates, groaning in an attempt to articulate just how good it was. Had I known what would have ensued next, individual pieces would have been divvied out. Each person enjoyed their second bite, ending with my son. Focusing on indulging in that moment rather a smooth hand off to the next person, it slipped out of his hands, landing vegetable side down onto the gravel dirt. Hands thrown in the air; we all shouted his name in disappointment. My husband picked it up and we attempted to remove the little pieces of rock, before we finally conceded to our loss. We turned the mood around once we decided a return was in order, to the same boulangerie the next day, which was also our last day in the city of lights.

We soaked up Paris from early in the morning to late in the afternoon before we could go back for our vegetable tian tart. On our way to the hotel, we stopped at the boulangerie and to our dismay, they had just sold out of our revered savory treat. I took it as a sign we needed to return to Paris sooner than later. However, given that boulangerie is thousands of miles from us, the next best thing was to recreate this dish at home. While the vegetables fall in line with summer’s bounty, sometimes inspiration from travels, overrides each season’s offerings in the kitchen.

So, regardless of what time of year I make this, I pretend I’m sitting in the Jardin de Luxembourg on a warm summer day. Bon appétit!

Vegetable Tian Tart

Ingredients:

• 1 package puff pastry (2 sheets)
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 3 Tbsp tomato sauce
• 2 tsp herbs to Provence
• 4 Tbsp shredded Parmesan
• 1 zucchini, sliced in ½”
• 1 yellow squash, sliced in ½”
• 3 tomatoes, sliced and pat dry to remove moisture
• ½ tsp salt
• Olive oil
• Kalamata olives (optional)
• Basil (optional)

All of the above ingredients are split equally into two, to be divided between 2 puff pastry sheets.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out both puff pastry sheets, transfer to baking sheets and with a fork, lightly poke a few holes in each puff pastry.

On each puff pastry sheet, spread mustard, then tomato sauce, and 1 tsp herbs de Provence, leaving approximately a 1” border. Place one row of squash, tomato and zucchini, retaining the border. Top veggies with 1 tsp herbs de Provence on each sheet. Then sprinkle with salt and Parmesan. Fold up the sides of the puff pastry and pinch the corners together. Drizzle the top with olive oil. Bake for approximately 25 minutes until golden brown. Top with a few olives and basil as a garnish.