Puff Pastry Potato Tart

A flaky puff pastry tart topped with herbed cream cheese and sliced potatoes.

📝 Ingredients

• 156 g (1 1/4 cup*) all-purpose flour
• 113 g (1/2 cup) Westgold salted butter.
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 60 g (1/4 cup) ice-cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• 90 g (3oz) cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pepper to taste
• 300 g (10.5oz) new potatoes
• 30 g (1oz) grated parmesan cheese

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Begin by chopping the butter into cubes and...: Begin by chopping the butter into cubes and placing them in the freezer for 5 minutes to ensure it's nice and cold.
2. 2To a large bowl add the flour, sugar,...: To a large bowl add the flour, sugar, and salt and mix them together. Add the cold cubes of butter to the flour.
3. 3Next, use a pastry cutter to roughly cut...: Next, use a pastry cutter to roughly cut the butter into the flour, but not too small. Leave most of the butter in fairly large chunks. If the butter is melting at any point, place the bowl in the refrigerator.
4. 4Mix together the vinegar and the ice-cold water....: Mix together the vinegar and the ice-cold water. Add around a tablespoon of this mixture at a time into the dough. Use a spatula or your hands to combine it into a shaggy and rough dough. Add any extra water in slowly, a tablespoon at a time.
5. 5It should hold together easily when pressed but...: It should hold together easily when pressed but not be sticky. If the dough is super crumbly, add a bit more water. Form the dough into a mound and let it chill in the fridge for 10 minutes. If your room temperature is very cold, you can begin rolling right away.
6. 6On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough...: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough with a rolling pin into a rough 5x10inch rectangle. You will see large butter chunks in the dough. Dust off any excess flour from the top of the dough.
7. 7Fold the bottom third of the dough up...: Fold the bottom third of the dough up to the middle, then fold the top third of the dough over top to make a pamphlet shape. That was Fold 1. Turn the dough a quarter turn and roll it back out into a rectangle and repeat the folding. That was fold 2.
8. 8Repeat this process 4 more times so you...: Repeat this process 4 more times so you do 6 folds in total. If you are making this on a cold day then there is no need forany fridge rest in between the rolling of the layers unless the butter is melting. In the summertime, the rough puff pastry will likely need a fridge rest in between every second fold to ensure the butter stays chilled.
9. 9After the last fold, wrap the dough up...: After the last fold, wrap the dough up tightly in plastic wrap and lace it in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours or up to 36.
10. 10In a small bowl, add softened cream cheese,...: In a small bowl, add softened cream cheese, minced garlic, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper, and mix together. Set this aside.
11. 11Use a mandolin or a sharp knife to...: Use a mandolin or a sharp knife to thinly slice the potatoes into 1/8 inch thickness.
12. 12Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.
13. 13Remove the dough from the fridge and place...: Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on a piece of parchment paper. Roll it into a large 10x12-inch rectangle. Trim off anyone uneven edges if you like.
14. 14Use a sharp knife to score a little...: Use a sharp knife to score a little ½ inch border around the rectangle, trying not to cut right through the pastry. Use a fork to prick the bottom of the pastry, but not on the border.
15. 15Spread the cream cheese inside the border of...: Spread the cream cheese inside the border of the pastry using an offset spatula or knife. Arrange the slices of potato over top. Finally, top the layer of potatoes with grated parmesan cheese.
16. 16Transfer the parchment paper and tart to a...: Transfer the parchment paper and tart to a baking sheet.
17. 17Bake in the preheated oven in the middle...: Bake in the preheated oven in the middle position for around 25-28 minutes until golden brown and the potatoes are soft. If the pastry is browning too fast, loosely cover it with a sheet of foil.