Give me almost any combination of toppings, and I’ll turn them into a delicious savory tart. The formula is always the same: the crispy, buttery puff pastry crust; a creamy base of ricotta and crème fraîche; a layer of oozing, usually pungent cheese; and then, of course, the topping. In this case, I sauté an array of winter wild mushrooms until they’re tender, chewy, and still a little crisp. Since they seem to make everything taste better, I can’t resist tossing in a few handfuls of sweet young onions with their spicy green tops. As they all bake together, their flavors unite into this decadent and sophisticated “pizza.”

　　

Ingredients

1 sheet frozen all-butter puff pastry

　　2 extra-large egg yolks

　　1 1/4 pounds wild mushrooms, cleaned

　　5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　1 1/2 cups sliced young onions, plus a 1/4 cup diagonally sliced young onion tops

　　1 teaspoon thyme leaves

　　1/2 cup whole milk ricotta, drained if wet

　　1/4 cup crème fraîche

　　1/4 pound Gruyère, thinly sliced

　　1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

　　1/4 cup tarragon leaves

　　1/4 cup chervil sprigs

　　1/4 cup 1/2-inch-snipped chives

　　A drizzle of super-good extra-virgin olive oil

　　1/2 lemon, for juicing

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

　　

Step 2

Defrost the puff pastry slightly and unroll it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use a paring knife to score a 1/4-inch border around the edge of the pastry. Make an egg wash by whisking 1 egg yolk with 1/4 teaspoon water, and brush the egg wash along the border. (You will not need all of the egg wash.) Return the puff pastry to the freezer until you’re ready to use it.

　　

Step 3

If the mushrooms are big, tear them into large bite-sized pieces. (Not too small, as they will shrink when they’re cooked.)

　　

Step 4

Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in 2 tablespoons olive oil and wait 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon butter, and when it foams, scatter half the mushrooms into the pan. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a healthy pinch of pepper. Sauté the mushrooms about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and a little crispy. (The cooking time will depend on the particular mushrooms you use.) Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a baking sheet, and repeat with the second half of the mushrooms.

　　

Step 5

When the second batch of mushrooms are just cooked, reduce the heat to low and toss in the spring onions, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir gently 1 to 2 minutes, until the onions are just wilted. Stir in the onion tops. Transfer to the baking sheet, and stir to combine with the first batch of mushrooms.

　　

Step 6

Place the ricotta, remaining egg yolk, and remaining tablespoon olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Purée until smooth, and remove to a mixing bowl. Gently fold in the crème fraîche, and season with a healthy pinch of salt and a few grindings of black pepper.

　　

Step 7

Spread the ricotta mixture on the puff pastry within the scored border. Place the Gruyère over the ricotta. Arrange the mushrooms and spring onions on top. If you aren’t ready to bake it yet, cover the tart with plastic and chill.

　　

Step 8

Bake the tart 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Lift the crust to peek underneath the tart to make sure the crust is really cooked through. (If you underbake the tart, it will be soggy.)

　　

Step 9

Toss the herbs in a small bowl with salt, pepper, a drizzle of super-good olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

　　

Step 10

Let the tart cool a few minutes, and serve it on a cutting board at the table. Serve the herb salad on the side in a small bowl or scatter it over the tart.

　　

Note

Step 11

Assemble the tart in the morning, cover, and refrigerate. Bake just before you’re ready to serve.

　　Cooks' Note

　　Assemble the tart in the morning, cover, and refrigerate. Bake just before you’re ready to serve.

　　Sunday Suppers at Lucques[by Suzanne Goin with Teri Gelber. Copyright © 2005 by Suzanne Goin. Published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved..Suzanne Goin graduated from Brown University. She was named Best Creative Chef by Boston magazine in 1994, one of the Best New Chefs by Food & Wine in 1999, and was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2003, 2004, and 2005. She and her business partner, Caroline Styne, also run the restaurant A.O.C. in Los Angeles, where Goin lives with her husband, David Lentz.Teri Gelber is a food writer and public-radio producer living in Los Angeles.](http://astore.amazon.com/epistore-20/detail/1400042151)