How to Make It
Prepare the Puff Pastry
Thaw the puff pastry sheet in the fridge overnight (about 4 hours if planning ahead), or at room temperature for 30–40 minutes. Leave it in its original liner or cover loosely with plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out.
Don’t unfold until fully thawed, then cut into squares. One sheet makes 4 tarts, so scale up as needed.
Prepare the Vegetables and Ham
Cut the bell pepper, zucchini, and red onion into thin strips, then press lightly with paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Toss with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of light olive oil.
Cut a few slices of ham into similar-sized strips.
Make the Cream Cheese Base
Just three ingredients, and it comes together in under a minute — especially if you use pre-whipped or spreadable cream cheese.
In a small bowl, combine ½ cup cream cheese, 1 egg yolk, and ¼ tsp garlic powder and mix until smooth and creamy.
Cream cheese is already well-seasoned, so no extra salt needed. Set the egg white aside for the egg wash.
Prick the Centers
Place the puff pastry squares on a lined baking sheet and use a fork to prick the centers all over — this keeps the middle from puffing up too much while the edges rise and get crispy.
Assemble the Tarts
Spread the cream cheese base generously over the pricked area, then arrange the vegetables and ham on top. Fold or press the edges in slightly to create a border.
Brush with Egg Wash (optional)
Beat the reserved egg white until smooth and brush it over the edges of each tart. Egg yolk is the more traditional egg wash, but using the leftover white keeps things simple and still gives the pastry a nice sheen.
Bake and Cool
Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 16–18 minutes, until puffed and deep golden brown. Let them cool for a few minutes before serving — they’re best eaten warm while the pastry is still crisp.
Store and Reheat
Let the tarts cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate for a few days or freeze for longer storage.
To reheat, use a toaster oven or air fryer for a few minutes until warmed through and crispy again. Skip the microwave — it’ll make the pastry soft.
Ingredients
- 1 frozen puff pastry sheet thawed (makes 4 tarts)
- ½ cup whipped cream cheese
- 1 egg yolk (reserve the white for egg wash)
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- About 1 cup bell pepper thinly sliced
- About 1 cup zucchini thinly sliced
- About ½ cup red onion thinly sliced
- Garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste
- Light olive oil for coating
- A few slices of ham cut into strips
Instructions
- Thaw the puff pastry sheet in the fridge overnight, or at room temperature for 30–40 minutes. Then cut into 4 squares.
- Cut the bell pepper, zucchini, and red onion into thin strips. Press lightly with paper towels to remove excess moisture, then toss with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Combine cream cheese, egg yolk, and garlic powder in a small bowl and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Place the pastry squares on a lined baking sheet and prick the centers all over with a fork. Spread the cream cheese filling generously over the pricked area, then arrange the vegetables and ham on top.
- Beat the reserved egg white until smooth and brush over the edges of each tart.
- Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 16–18 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Watch the Recipe
Notes
- The cream cheese filling makes enough for about 8 tarts — double the puff pastry if you’d like to bake a larger batch.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for a few days or can be frozen. Reheat in a toaster oven or air fryer until warmed through and crispy. Avoid the microwave as it will soften the pastry.
- Ham can be swapped for other proteins like cooked bacon or turkey.
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