Jacqueline Casey 
I love the combination of potatoes and leeks. It’s one of my favorite soups, so naturally it’s become my favorite tart. To me, there’s something about using puff pastry that always elevates a recipe and makes it looks a little extra fancy, but really isn’t any harder to make (when using premade puff pastry that is). I like how I have the actual serving size as 8 slices, which is true, but in reality, my husband and I have also eaten an entire one of these tarts in one sitting.
Options, Tips, and Substitutions!
- Potatoes can vary greatly in size. I’ve used very large Idaho Potatoes and Yukon/Gold Potatoes. I think they are typically bigger when you buy them as singles vs. in a bag. If your potatoes are on the smaller size, you will need a few extra.
- I definitely recommend using a high quality block cheese for this recipe and not a prepackaged shredded cheese. There aren’t that many ingredients and a block cheese will yield a much more rich and creamy flavor. I used a cheddar/gruyere blend, but you could use a plain cheddar cheese or a gruyere cheese also.
- The fresh rosemary gives off a distinct and fresh flavor. I recommend using fresh rosemary vs. dried rosemary. Plus, the fresh rosemary can be used for a pretty garnish on top!
- I’ve made this recipe both with puff pastry and without. I guess it’s not so much a tart without the puff pastry, but it’s equally delicious. It holds it’s shape just fine without it. When making with the puff pastry, I use a tart pan with a removeable bottom. When omitting the puff pastry, I used my springform pan which made it very easy to remove when it was finished baking. This is how it looks without the puff pastry.
- Leftovers will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Potato, Leek, Cheddar/Gruyere and Rosemary Tart
This amazing and versatile tart recipe looks more complicated and fancy than it is to make. My favorite way to enjoy is for brunch/lunch with a small arugula salad on the side.
- Tart Flute or Springform Pan
- 3 large Idaho Potatoes (4 Yukon/Gold Potatoes)
- 2 Trimmed Leeks
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 8 oz Cheddar/Gruyere Cheese
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 handful Fresh Rosemary
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 Pre-made Puff Pastry Sheet
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Fill tart flute with puff pastry then put back in the refrigerator while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
Cut each leek in ½ lengthwise then chop to create little half moons. Add butter to a large pan and sauté until soft and light brown (about 10 minutes). Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
While leeks are cooking, thinly slice potatoes and put aside. Grate cheese and put aside.
Finely chop Rosemary. (Save a few sprigs to top for garnish)
Mix shredded cheese with cornstarch and put aside.
Take tart flute and pastry out from the refrigerator and begin layering. First arrange ⅓ of the potatoes in a circle pattern, then top with ⅓ of the sautéed leeks, ⅓ of cheese and a sprinkle of rosemary.
Repeat step 2 more times to make a total of 3 layers.
Cook in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown, potatoes are cooked through and the top looks nice and crispy.
For a lighter and still delicious version, you can omit the puff-pastry. I recommend using a lightly greased Springform pan which will hold the layers together while cooking, and then be easy to remove the sides and serve.
