The Easiest Way to Turn Leftover Veggies Into Dinner
Terrence’s puff pastry tart is endlessly versatile (and weeknight-friendly).
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Photo by Ty Mecham
Each week, our resident baker Terence shares tips and techniques to help you level up your baking.
This week, Terrence is fresh off a trip to New York City, where he wandered through the famous Union Square Greenmarket and left with a tote bag full of produce: basil, broccoli, sweet peppers, and more. Instead of committing to one rigid recipe, he turned his haul into a puff pastry tart that’s more blueprint than prescription. Think of it as a delicious way to use up whatever’s hanging out in your CSA box or farmers market haul.
The foundation is simple: store-bought puff pastry, ricotta, herbs, and vegetables. From there, the options are endless—swap in different greens, roastier alliums, or whatever herbs you have on hand.
What you need
- Store-bought puff pastry
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- Ricotta cheese
- Fresh herbs (basil, parsley, chives, etc.)
- Lemon juice and zest
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- A mix of vegetables (broccoli, peppers, onions, zucchini, etc.)
How it comes together
- Prep the pastry: roll it out on a sheet pan, lightly score a border around the edges, and poke the center all over with a fork. Brush the border with egg wash and chill.
- Toss the veggies: rough chop whatever you’re using, then coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Mix the base: stir together ricotta, chopped herbs, lemon juice, and zest.
- Assemble: spread a thin layer of ricotta mixture on the pastry, pile on the veggies, and bake until puffed and golden.
- Finish: top with extra herbs and a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
Tips & tricks
- Chill the pastry after scoring and egg washing—it’ll help the edges puff evenly.
- Don’t overload with veggies—keep them in an even layer so the pastry cooks through.
- Try seasonal swaps: tomatoes and zucchini in summer, squash and kale in fall.
- A little ricotta goes a long way—spread it thin for balance.
Serve it warm for dinner with a simple green salad, or cut into squares for a snack board centerpiece.
Get the full recipe here.
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