Community recipe
Pear, Caramelized Onion & Gruyère Puff-Pastry Tart with Lemon Arugula
Buttery, flaky pastry cradles deeply sweet onions, tender pear, and bubbling Gruyère, with a quick lemony arugula salad to cut through the richness. It looks special but comes together with grocery-store ingredients and a sheet of ready-made pastry.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 47 min
- Difficulty
- medium
Get ready
Ingredients
- 1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed according to package directions; still cool
- 2 yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oils
- 0.5 tsp kosher salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaf, stripped from stems and chopped
- 1 ripe pear, rinsed, dried, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
- 2 tsp dijon mustards
- 100 g vegetarian gruyère cheeses, grated
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp water
- 2 cup baby arugula, rinsed and dried
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Make it
Instructions
- 01
Set up the oven and pastry
Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the center. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Let 1 each frozen puff pastry sheet sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, just until pliable but still cool; unfold it on the lined sheet. If it cracks, wait a few more minutes before gently pressing the seam together. | Why: Cool, pliable pastry unfolds cleanly and bakes into crisp layers.
- 02
Slowly caramelize the onions
Peel and thinly slice 2 medium yellow onions. Set a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil, then add the sliced onions with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Strip and chop 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, then stir them in. Cook for 22–25 minutes, stirring every few minutes and lowering the heat if the edges darken too quickly; the onions are ready when very soft, deeply golden, and sweet-smelling. Transfer to a plate and let cool for 5 minutes. | Why: Gentle, patient cooking brings out sweetness without scorching.
- 03
Top the tart
While the onions cool, rinse and dry 1 ripe pear, halve and core it, then slice it thinly. Stir 2 tsp Dijon mustard with a teaspoon of water and spread it in a thin layer over the pastry, leaving a 1-inch border. Scatter 2 medium yellow onions evenly over the mustard, then arrange the pear slices on top. Grate 100 g vegetarian Gruyère cheese and distribute it over the filling. | Why: A thin, even layer keeps the center balanced and lets the pastry edges puff.
- 04
Egg-wash and bake
Fold each edge up about 1/2 inch to make a neat border, then lightly score the border without cutting through. Beat 1 each egg with 1 tbsp water in a small bowl and brush the mixture over the raised edge. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20–22 minutes, rotating the sheet once if your oven browns unevenly. The border should be puffed and deep golden, and the center should look crisp beneath the melted topping. | Why: The wash helps the border brown evenly while scoring defines a crisp, sturdy edge.
- 05
Dress the greens and serve
While the tart bakes, rinse 2 cups baby arugula in cool water and spin or pat it completely dry. Toss it with 1 tbsp lemon juice just before serving. Once the tart is baked, let it rest on the sheet for 8 minutes so the filling settles, then cut into 4 portions and serve warm with the dressed greens. | Why: A brief rest makes clean slices, and the bright side salad balances the rich, flaky tart.
