Spinach and Goat Cheese Tarte Soleil
It’s beautiful to look at and beautiful to eat. Spinach and Goat Cheese Tarte Soleil has all the flavors of spanakopita tucked into puff pastry and baked to perfection. While it looks like the sun, you don’t have to be solar-powered to enjoy it.
What is Tarte Soleil
Thinking back upon your high school French class, you may remember that soleil means sun. This is a tarte that is shaped like the fiery orb that gives light to our planet. Most recipes I’ve seen use puff pastry cut and twisted to look like sun rays.
Tarte soleil is stunning as an appetizer, snack, or main with a side salad. It is pastry rolled out, filled with savory or sweet filling, topped with more pastry, then cut and twisted before baking.
When it comes time to eat, grab one of the crunchy ends, pull, and devour. I will admit it shows beautifully at a party or potluck, but who says you can’t make this just for yourself?
And in case you are wondering, yes, I regret not taking Spanish instead of French. I live in Southern California so Español would have come in incredibly handy. Tant pis.
Tarte soleil would pair nicely with a glass of white wine and this salad.
Lessons Learned
- Want to use fresh spinach instead of frozen? Saute two pounds of fresh spinach in a pan (might have to do this in batches) with a couple of teaspoons of olive oil for 5-ish minutes. It will wilt and shrink considerably. Two pounds will cook down into what is the equivalent of two packages of frozen spinach.
- You can absolutely use feta instead of goat cheese in this recipe.
- If you are subbing in dried herbs for fresh, remember that 1 Tablespoon of fresh herbs equals 1 teaspoon of dried.
Hat Tips
Many thanks to Olive & Mango for the spanakopita tarte soleil recipe inspiration.
Spinach and Goat Cheese Tarte Soleil
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 17.3 oz box (approx 1 pound) frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
- 2 pkgs (10 oz each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 2 Tbsp green onions, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or 1 Tbsp dried dill)
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 Tbsp dried parsley)
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp garlic, minced (or 1 tsp dried granulated garlic)
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- ⅔ cup goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 egg, beaten lightly for egg wash
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Unfold and roll out one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut a 12-inch circle. Use a plate or pan as a template. Place the circle on a sheet of parchment paper and refrigerate. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry. Allow to chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
- Make the filling by squeezing as much moisture as possible from the thawed spinach, then place it in a medium bowl. The spinach should not have any liquid pooling around it. Tip in the green onions, dill, parsley, egg, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Dump in the goat cheese and gently stir to incorporate.
- Place one of the dough circles on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the filling evenly, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Dab some of the beaten egg around the border. Put the second dough circle on top and press the edges lightly to seal.
- Set a 2-inch glass upside down in the center (a shot glass is perfect for this). Use a sharp knife, pizza cutter, or kitchen shears to cut the tarte into quarters, leaving a solid center where the shot glass is placed. I like to imagine a clock and make cuts at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock, stopping at the shot glass. You now have four quarters. Cut each quarter into two strips, then half again so that there are four strips within each quarter. In total, you will have 16 strips or rays and a solid center circle. Remove the shot glass. If the dough has gotten soft, place it in the fridge to rest and chill for 20 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat the oven to 400F/204C.
- Take one strip of the dough and gently twist it three or four times. Repeat with the remaining strips. Brush all over with the beaten egg.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving. It can be eaten warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers covered in the fridge. To reheat, place in a toaster oven or 350F oven for a few minutes. Don’t reheat in the microwave, sad, I know, because the pastry will go soggy.
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