I bring this tart out any time I need a special celebration dish without much fuss. It calls for a puff pastry crust and walks you through making a quick moutarde à la provençale. I think it absolutely makes a difference in taste if you can make these from home instead of buying them. I’ll put up my recipe for puff pastry in another post. Also, since this recipe keeps things quite simple and showcases the Dijon, tarragon, and asparagus, it’s really worth it to get quality ingredients. Maille is my favorite brand of Dijon. You can sub out asparagus with any other seasonal veggie – this tart is perfect to show off heirloom tomatoes!

Makes about 6 servings; prep time 25 minutes, cook time 20 minutes, total time 55 minutes

• Puff pastry crust, enough to cover the base of a tart pan
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 regular orange bell pepper, stem and seeds removed
• 1 tsp paprika
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 cup gruyere cheese, grated
• 8 asparagus spears, trimmed halved
• 2 spears of fresh tarragon, leaves removed and finely chopped
• Balsamic vinegar for serving

Thaw your puff pastry crust overnight in the fridge if frozen. About 20 minutes before it’s time to get cooking, thaw it further on the counter. Preheat your oven to 400° F. Roast your pepper in a roasting pan with a little drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt for about 20 minutes or until the skin is partially charred and blistered.

When the pastry is malleable enough to work with, roll out a sheet about 1/8 inch thick, a little more than enough to cover the base and sides of a 4 x 14 tart pan. Be gentle and patient with the puff pastry crust; the less you manipulate it, the better the flakiness. Cut the edges precisely with a very sharp knife, pizza cutter, or pastry cutter. It might shrink back a bit, so cutting slightly larger than the dimensions of the pan should make it fit perfectly.

Lay the rolled out pastry into the bottom of the pan (greased if needed). Gently press the crust into the edges and corners of the pan, being sure to leave no cracks or messy edges. Use a fork to create pin pricks across the entire base. Lay a piece of parchment paper in the base of the crust, and fill the tart with a layer of dried beans. Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until the crust is puffed up and starting to color. Remove the beans and the parchment paper, and set the crust aside to cool.

Pour the entire contents of the roasting pan into a blender with the Dijon and paprika. While blending on a low setting, stream in the olive oil. Continue blending until a completely smooth mixture forms. Taste and add salt as needed. You’ve just made a quick moutarde à la provençale. Stir in half the tarragon.

When your tart shell is cooled, spread the moutarde à la provençale in an even layer into the bottom. Sprinkle the gruyere next in an even layer. Decoratively arrange the asparagus spears halves, alternating direction. Sprinkle the remaining tarragon on top. Bake for 15- 20 minutes, until the crust develops a golden brown. Let it cool completely in the pan, and remove just before serving.