My corn puff pastry tart layers sweet corn, sliced jalapeño, and thin red onion over lemony ricotta on flaky pastry, then finishes with crumbled feta and cilantro while it’s still warm. I score the dough into 12 squares before baking so the border puffs tall and each piece slices clean. It takes one sheet pan and about 45 minutes, and it holds at room temperature for hours.
The savory puff pastry tart I reach for all summer
This tart started as a leftovers experiment. I had corn and a couple of jalapeños from another dinner and thought, what can I do with these before they turn? So I reached for the same savory puff pastry base I make on repeat, the one behind my tomato puff pastry tart and zucchini versions, and swapped in peak summer corn.
The puff pastry does the heavy lifting. You get a deep golden, flaky border with almost no effort while the middle holds the ricotta and vegetables flat. I sometimes score a half-inch border halfway through the pastry and prick the center of each square all over, so the edges puff up and the middle stays flat enough to carry the topping.
I precook the corn first (aka throw it in the microwave for 4 minutes) because in my first test round I skipped that and the raw kernels released water as they baked and left the center soggy. The red onion goes on paper-thin off a mandoline so it actually softens in a 25-minute bake instead of staying sharp. And the ricotta gets lemon zest and parmesan stirred in, the same lemony ricotta base I reach for when I want something bright.
You can take this a lot of directions. For a table with mixed heat tolerance, deseed the jalapeño and it calms right down. Want it heartier, add white beans or a grain on the side. The fastest change is to leave the corn and onion as written and just swap the cheese, feta one week, goat cheese the next. The topping is open to whatever looks good at the market that week.
The ingredients that carry this tart
Full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the recipe card.
- Cut the corn off two fresh ears and microwave the kernels for two minutes before they touch the pastry, because raw corn sweats and steams the base from underneath as it bakes. Peak-season sweet corn is sweet enough to carry the tart on its own.
- Drain the ricotta if it looks wet, then stir in lemon zest, parmesan, and salt so the base tastes bright and holds its shape instead of sliding off the squares as it bakes.
- Slice one to two jalapeños thin and leave the seeds in for real heat, or pull the seeds for a milder tart. As written this one carries genuine jalapeño heat, so scale it to your table.
- Shave the red onion as thin as you can on a mandoline so it softens in the bake instead of staying raw and sharp, the same move that makes any puff pastry onion tart work.
- Crumble the feta over the tart after it comes out of the oven, not before, so it stays creamy and salty rather than drying out under the heat.
Shruthi’s Top Tips
Tips for the best corn puff pastry tart
A few things I learned across test rounds.
- Do not skip pricking the center of each square. The first time I left it out, the middle domed up and the topping slid toward the edges. A fork all over the center keeps the bed flat.
- Precook and cool the corn before it goes on. Hot corn straight from the microwave starts softening the ricotta before the tart even bakes.
- Keep the pastry cold while you assemble. If it warms up, the border will not puff as tall, so I build on the cold sheet pan and work fast.
- Brush the egg wash only on the scored border, not over the vegetables, so you get a deep golden edge without gilding the topping.
How to make a corn puff pastry tart
- Heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the middle and line a sheet pan with parchment. Microwave the corn kernels two minutes until bright and just tender, then set aside to cool.
Unfold the cold puff pastry onto the pan and score a border around the edges. Score the center into 12 squares, then prick the centers with a fork.
Stir the ricotta with parmesan, lemon zest, and salt, then spread a spoonful onto each square inside the border.
- Top each square with corn.
- Add the thinly sliced red onion and jalapeño to each square.
- Brush with egg wash along the border of all the slices.
- Bake 25 minutes, until the border is puffed and deep golden and the onion has softened. Scatter feta and cilantro over the warm tart and cut along the scored lines into 12 squares.
How to serve corn puff pastry tart
This tart is built to be shared, so I treat it as the center of a bigger plate! Cut the sheet into its 12 squares and set them out with a big green salad, a bowl of white beans dressed in lemon and olive oil, or farro on the side. For a mixed table, I’ll grill chicken or crisp some chorizo and set it next to the tart so the meat-eaters build their own plate without a second recipe.
It also assembles a few hours ahead. Keep it topped and covered in the fridge, then egg-wash and bake right before people arrive. For anyone heat-shy, deseed the jalapeño or scatter fewer slices over one corner. Set it next to a Mexican street corn salad if you want to lean into the corn and lime direction!
Variations
- Swap the corn for other summer vegetables and you have a rotation of vegetable puff pastry tarts. Thin zucchini, halved cherry tomatoes, or roasted red pepper all work on the same base. My zucchini puff pastry tart is the version I make when the garden is overproducing, and the tomato puff pastry tart carries me through cherry-tomato season.
- Change the cheese to change the tart. Goat cheese for something softer, fresh mozzarella for a milder bite, or keep the feta for a sharper, saltier finish.
- Lean onion-forward and it becomes a puff pastry onion tart. Pile on more thin red onion and skip the jalapeño for a sweeter, calmer bake.
- Dial the heat up or down with the jalapeño, from seeds-in and fiery to fully deseeded.
Storage and reheating
Store leftover squares airtight in the fridge up to three days. To bring the pastry back, reheat in a 375°F oven for six to eight minutes rather than the microwave, which turns the base soft. You can also assemble the tart a few hours ahead, keep it covered and unbaked in the fridge, then egg-wash and bake just before serving.
Corn Puff Pastry Tart with Jalapeño and Ricotta
Ingredients
For the tart base
- 1 sheet puff pastry , thawed
- 1 large egg, beaten, for the border
For the ricotta layer
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta, drained if wet
- ¼ cup finely grated parmesan
- 1 medium lemon, zested
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the topping
- 2 ears fresh corn, about 1.5 cups of kernels
- 2 medium jalapeños, thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion, sliced very thin on a mandoline
To finish
- ½ cup crumbled feta
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the middle position and line a sheet pan with parchment.
- Microwave the corn kernels in a bowl for 2 minutes until just tender and bright, then set aside to cool slightly.
- Unfold the cold puff pastry onto the lined sheet pan and lightly score a 1/2-inch border around all four edges, cutting only halfway through so the border can puff.
- Lightly score the inner rectangle into 12 squares (same depth, halfway through), then prick the center of each square all over with a fork to keep the topping bed from doming.
- Stir together the ricotta, parmesan, lemon zest, and salt, then dollop and spread a spoonful onto each square, staying inside the scored border.
- Top each square with corn, a few jalapeño slices, and a little thinly sliced red onion.
- Brush the ½-inch border with the beaten egg.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until the borders are puffed and deep golden and the onion is softened.
- Scatter the crumbled feta and chopped cilantro over the warm tart, then cut along the scored lines into 12 squares to serve.
Notes
- Swap the feta for crumbled goat cheese or a mild fresh mozzarella if you want a softer finish.
- For a milder tart, deseed the jalapeño or use fewer slices; as written this one carries real jalapeño heat.
- Fresh or frozen corn both work. Thaw and pat frozen corn dry first, then skip the microwave step.
- Use up leftover ricotta on toast or folded into scrambled eggs the next morning.
- Assemble the tart up to a few hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, then egg-wash and bake just before serving.
- Store leftovers airtight in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in a 375°F oven for 6 to 8 minutes to crisp the pastry back up rather than microwaving.
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt is what I used. If using Morton, use roughly half the amount.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
