7 Rustic Tart Fillings
What’s juicy, flaky and begs for a big scoop of ice cream?
A rustic fruit tart (also known as a galette). These free-form tarts deliver big with little effort. Let the season be your guide, and have fun baking at home!
Pair our favorite fillings with pre-made (or homemade) pastry and you’re on your way.
Tips to get started:
Don’t overthink it. Use what’s in season and what you have on hand, fresh or frozen. Don’t use too much, or it will overflow onto the baking sheet and into your oven.
Round up a crust. Make it or buy it, but use all butter. Ready-to-use pie dough is sold at many grocers, or you can find our pre-rolled all-butter pie dough (made with European-style unsalted butter for extra flavor and flakiness) at any Grand Central bakery-cafe. A single package contains 2 pre-rolled crusts, enough to makes two tarts or one double-crust pie.
Our favorite fillings
1. Strawberry Rhubarb: An early summer favorite: equal parts diced rhubarb stalks and hulled, halved strawberries (about 2 cups total), 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ½ cup sugar, and a pinch each of salt and nutmeg.
2. Spiced Cherry: Grand Central pastry lead Allison Parmenter makes a delicious tart with ripe pitted sweet cherries, 3-4 tablespoons of sugar and warm spices (1/2 teaspoon each 5-spice powder and cinnamon, a pinch of salt and black pepper). She macerates the cherries in the sugar and spice mixture with 1 tablespoon flour to thicken the juices before folding into the crust, and dusts the crust with turbinado sugar before baking. Find more of Allison’s recipes on the Butter Witch blog.
3. Mixed Berry: A crowd pleaser! Combine 1 1/2 – 2 cups (1 pint) mixed berries, 3 tablespoons sugar or more to taste, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, pinch lemon zest and salt. Start with a base layer of crumbled shortbread cookies or biscotti (optional).
4. Roasted Vegetable: Leftover roasted veggies make a glorious tart. Combine 1 beaten egg, 2 tablespoons cream, and 1/4 cup shredded cheese as a base. Add roasted or grilled zucchini (or your favorite roasted seasonal veggie), sauteed peppers and caramelized onions. Sprinkle finished tart with fresh chives, tarragon, or dill.
5. Sungold Tomato-Basil:When the tomatoes are overflowing, make this: Combine 1/2 cup creamy cheese (such as ricotta, chevre, cream cheese) with 1/2 cup crumbly aged cheese (such as parmesan or feta) for base layer. Top with halved Sungold or other cherry tomatoes; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Garnish baked tart with torn fresh basil leaves.
6. Juicy Peach (or peach berry): Combine 1 ½ -2 cups sliced peaches or nectarines (ok to leave skin on) with 1/2 cup sugar (or more to taste), 4 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch salt, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 1/2 tea almond extract. Let sit for 10 minutes. Remove fruit slices from bowl and place on crust, leaving excess juice behind. Add a handful of raspberries or blueberries before pleating the edge, if desired.
7. Apple Cinnamon: The perfect fall tart! Two large or 3 medium apples (use whatever variety is crisp and flavorful), peeled, cored and sliced; 1/2 cup granulated sugar, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon and vanilla, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Toss fruit with sugar and spices, arrange on crust, dab with 3 tablespoons softened butter before baking.
HOW TO Assemble and bake the tart.
You’ll need a sheet pan, a rolling pin, and some foil or baking parchment.
Roll out a single pie crust on a lightly floured work surface into a circle. Transfer to a foil or baking-parchment-lined sheet pan. Optional: Sprinkle a thin layer of finely crumbled cookies, biscotti or cake crumbs on the dough to add flavor and soak up fruit juices.
Now, gently spread your filling over the pastry, leaving a 2-inch border
Lift and fold the edge, letting dough pleat as you work your way around.
Chill or freeze the tart for 20-30 minutes before baking to help the dough hold shape and produce a crisp crust.
Lightly brush the exposed crust with an egg mixed with 2 teaspoons water. Sprinkle with coarse or granulated sugar for a shiny, sweet finish.
Bake tart in the center of a preheated 375 degree oven until the crust is golden brown, 40-45 minutes. Make sure to place a rimmed sheet pan under fruit tarts to catch any juices that escape while baking.
Let cool completely before serving; juices and filling will thicken as it cools.
Need dough? Visit our online store to order Grand Central Bakery’s all-butter U-bake Pie Dough, ready-to-bake pies, pizza dough, and cookies, and other time-saving shortcuts.
Watch our Sour Cherry Pie video and get the recipe.