Salami, French Cheese & Quince Puff Pastry Tart with Thyme
Golden, buttery puff pastry topped with creamy French cheese, savoury salami, sweet quince cheese and fragrant thyme. A little French-inspired kitchen improvisation that turned out rather well ...
When the Fridge Has Other Plans
You know those moments when you have a perfectly good idea for something to cook, only to discover that the fridge hasn't quite got the memo? ... This was one of those moments.
The original plan involved bacon and Brie, which sounded rather lovely. Except I had neither. What I did have was some salami, a rather lovely soft French cheese, a little quince cheese and some fresh thyme ... Well, with ingredients as good as that, it would have been rude not to see what happened!
A sheet of puff pastry became the starting point for a very happy experiment. The cheese melted into a creamy layer, the salami brought its savoury, salty richness, and the thyme added a fragrant little lift. But the real star of the show was the quince cheese. I wasn't entirely sure how it would behave in the oven, but it held its shape beautifully, leaving little pockets of sweet, fruity flavour among all that savoury loveliness.
The result? A golden, crisp-edged tart that disappeared rather quickly. In fact, it was demolished before I had much opportunity to contemplate its future as a recipe.
Which, in my book, is generally a rather good sign.
Why You'll Love This Salami, French Cheese & Quince Puff Pastry Tart with Thyme
A little sweet meets savoury magic. Salty salami, creamy cheese and sweet quince are a delicious combination.
Puff pastry does the hard work. You get golden, flaky edges without spending your afternoon making pastry.
Perfect for sharing. Cut into squares for a relaxed lunch, a grazing board or something to nibble alongside a glass of cider.
A recipe that welcomes improvisation. The best kitchen discoveries don't always begin with a shopping list.
Salami, French Cheese & Quince Puff Pastry Tart with Thyme - The Recipe
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20–25 minutes
Total time: Approximately 35 minutes
Serves: 2–4, depending on how you serve it
Oven: 180°C fan
Ingredients
1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry, approximately 320g
100–125g mild, creamy French cheese
75–100g salami, torn or sliced into pieces
50–75g quince cheese, cut into small pieces
1–2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, or a few small sprigs
A little beaten egg or milk, optional, for brushing the pastry edges
Method
Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 180°C fan. Line a baking tray with baking parchment and unroll the puff pastry onto it.
Blind-bake the pastry. Place a second, slightly smaller baking tray on top of the pastry sheet. This weighs down the centre and helps prevent it from puffing up too much, while allowing the edges to rise. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, until the pastry is cooked through but still pale.
Add the cheese. Carefully remove the upper baking tray. Arrange the French cheese over the centre of the pastry, leaving a border around the edges.
Layer up the toppings. Scatter over the salami, followed by the pieces of quince cheese and fresh thyme.
Bake until golden. Return the tart to the oven for approximately 10–15 minutes, until the pastry edges are crisp and golden, the cheese is soft and melted, and the toppings are warmed through.
Rest and serve. Leave the tart to settle for a few minutes before slicing. Serve warm, while the pastry is crisp and the cheese is lovely and soft.
Jo's Kitchen Notes
The quince cheese is the little surprise here. It holds its shape during baking, giving you little pockets of sweet, fruity flavour rather than melting away into the cheese.
Make it your own. This tart began life as an idea involving bacon and Brie. Neither made it into the kitchen, so salami and a mild French cheese stepped in instead. You could use bacon, left over pork, and camembert or Brie would also work beautifully.
Don't skip the first bake. Cooking the pastry under a second tray helps create a crisp base before the toppings go on, so you don't end up with a soggy centre. Nobody likes a soggy bottom!
Serving suggestion: Cut into generous slices for an easy lunch with a crisp green salad, or into smaller squares for a sharing board. It would be lovely alongside a glass of Somerset cider.
Storage
This tart is best eaten freshly baked, when the pastry is at its crispest. If you have leftovers, cool them promptly, refrigerate in an airtight container and eat within two days. Reheat thoroughly in the oven to restore some of the crispness.
Recipe note: Ingredient quantities are estimates, as the original tart was made by eye. Adjust the cheese, salami and quince to suit your pastry sheet and taste.
