One of my best party tricks is buying frozen puff pastry, letting it thaw, and organizing cut fruit or vegetables on top. It looks impressive like you spent hours working on it, but it couldn’t be easier to make.

In the case of this herbed tomato tart, I decided to top it with mozzarella and feta cheese, tomatoes, chopped rosemary and basil, and garlic. The latter was a surprise because I usually reduce or omit garlic in recipes. I’m very sensitive to it. But in this case, it hides under the cheese and it’s subtle, so garlic lovers could even add another clove or two.

A word to the wise about baking puff pastry for this tart: It takes two steps. First, you have to bake the crust in the oven until it gets slightly golden brown and puffy. You’ll take it out of the oven and panic because it will be extremely puffed, and you need it to collapse to put the cheese and toppings on it. Don’t panic, though, because it will deflate after a few minutes. Don’t rush the process. Once the crust is more or less level, you can add the garlic, cheese, tomatoes, and herbs.

This tart is a good vehicle for anything you want to put on top. If you’re not a tomato fan, or you can’t find any good ones this time of year, you could always switch up the cheese and put mushrooms or roasted broccoli on top. The same is true with the herbs. I used rosemary and basil because those are two of my favorite herbs, but thyme would work well, too. You could even do a smoked salmon, crème fraîche version with dill.

Make this tart as soon as possible. It’s easy, delicious, and the leftovers taste great for days.

Here’s a song to get you started on your herbed tomato tart journey.

Herbed Tomato Tart

Ingredients

2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 pint assorted grape tomatoes, halved
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1 14-oz package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed (I used Dufour)
1 8-oz package shredded mozzarella cheese
4 oz crumbled feta cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped assorted fresh herbs (I used rosemary and basil)
1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place your sliced tomatoes in a single layer over paper towels. Sprinkle with half a teaspoon of salt and let them sit for at least 30 minutes. Pat them dry.

Roll out your puff pastry into a 14-inch square. Fold in the edges to form a border. Carefully place your puff pastry on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until light golden brown.

Wait for the puff pastry to deflate and then top with the cheese, garlic, and tomatoes in a single layer. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese melts and is bubbly. Enjoy!