This leek tarte tatin is a showstopper vegetarian centrepiece for your dinner table, and leek is the star of the show.
The twist in my recipe is that, unlike most tarte tatins, I use filo pastry. It is lighter than puff pastry, exquisitely crisp, and less prone to a soggy pastry bottom. What's more, it has less fat than puff pastry - you brush butter between the layers. Puff pastry is laminated with large amounts of butter.
The caramelised leek gives a mellow, sweet, mild onion flavour, contrasted with the salty feta and warm, fruity notes from the Aleppo peppers. The crispy filo pastry is the perfect canvas for these flavours to shine.
Don't be deceived by looks or a fancy name- leek tarte tatin is not a difficult dish to make - braise the leek, top with the pastry, bake and then flip.
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Why You'll Love this Leek TATIN WITH FILO PASTRY
- Ultra-crispy filo pastry base.
- Sweet caramelised feta, Aleppo pepper, and parsley create a balanced but distinctive flavour profile.
- Not technique-heavy but quite straightforward to make and looks impressive.
- Vegetarian main or light lunch, and reheats well (oven, not microwave)
key Ingredients & notes
- Leeks - An allium suited for a tarte with its mild, sweet flavour. Becomes silky and tender when cooked.
- Filo pastry - Gives an ultra-crispy base. Not as heavy as puff pastry.
- Feta & Aleppo pepper flakes - Feta provides a salty, sharp flavour, the Aleppo pepper flakes a fruity warmth, balancing the sweet leeks.
- Thyme & Vegetable stock - Both add flavour to the cooking leeks.
- -Using vegetable stock adds more flavour to the leeks, and you need a bit of moisture to stop the leeks from burning.
- Lemon juice - Brightens up the dish.
- Parsley - A herby garnish for the tarte tatin.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Key Instructions & Notes
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
- Wash the leeks thoroughly.
- Cut the leeks to size as shown in the photo, so they fit the base of the dish.
- Slice the measured leeks in half lengthways.
- Heat the olive oil in the ovenproof dish and lay the leeks cut side down.
- Add the butter and thyme and season with salt, pepper and the juice of half a lemon.
- Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the vegetable stock and cook for five minutes more.
- Melt 50g of butter and set aside.
- While the leeks are cooking, roll out the filo pastry and separate the sheets into pairs.
- Brush each pair of filo sheets with the melted butter and stack them on top of each other.
- Drape the filo sheets over the leeks and tuck the edges inside the pan.
- Brush the top with more melted butter and bake for 30 minutes, until golden and crispy.
- Leave in the oven-proof dish to cool for 5 minutes.
- Place a chopping board or plate over the oven-proof dish and carefully flip it over onto the board or plate. If any leeks stick to the pan, just reassemble them onto the tarte tatin.
- Sprinkle crumbled feta, Aleppo pepper, and parsley over the tarte tatin. Optionally, drizzle some honey over it too.
Substitutions & Variations
Cheese
- Use goat's cheese instead of feta as a less salty option.
- For a vegan leek tarte tatin, substitute the feta for vegan feta, and, of course, the butter for a vegan block butter alternative.
Pastry
- You can opt for a gluten-free filo pastry, although it is more fragile to handle.
Herbs & heat
- Thyme- Instead of thyme, you can use rosemary. It is a stronger-tasting herb, so use less.
- Add chestnut paste on the pastry - the side that will go on top of the leeks- for that Christmasy twist.
- For a different flavour heat, use chilli flakes or a sprinkle of paprika.
Stock
- Add miso to your vegetable stock for more umami flavour.
Equipment
This recipe is not technique-heavy and requires only a few pieces of equipment:
- A suitable, oven-proof dish to bake the leek tarte tatin. I used a dish with a base 22cm in diameter, but this recipe will work in a dish up to 24cm.
- A pastry brush to brush melted butter over the filo pastry
Storage
This tarte tatin is best eaten fresh from the oven to savour the ultra-crispy filo pastry; however, this tarte tatin does reheat well - reheat in an oven for around 10 minutes at 180ºC so as to help maintain pastry crispiness.
Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Not suitable for freezing.
Recipe Tips
- Wash the leeks thoroughly, as untrimmed leeks can hold dirt and grit between the layers.
- Cut the leeks to the size for your pan before cutting them in half lengthwise; otherwise, they will be awkward to work with because the layers separate easily.
- Be careful not to overcook the leeks. This will noticeably alter the leeks' flavour and make them bitter. The texture also becomes mushy rather than silky, which is what we want.
- Be sure to brush the layers of filo pastry with melted butter as directed in the method. This will help achieve the crispiness we are aiming for.
- To avoid a messy flip, don't skip letting the tarte tatin cool for 5 minutes or so, not just to cool, but to let the leeks and juices firm up a bit.
- Don't panic if some of the leeks stick to the pan when you flip; just rearrange them on the tart.
FAQ
What is tarte tatin?
Tarte tatin is a classic upside-down French dish with fruit, usually apples caramelised in butter and sugar. After baking, flip the tart upside down onto a serving plate. In this recipe, I use leeks instead of fruit.
📖 Recipe
Leek Tarte Tatin with Filo Pastry
Soft, sweet caramelised leeks and crispy filo pastry, topped with feta, parsley and a pinch of Aleppo pepper.
Equipment
- oven proof pan
Ingredients
- 450 g Leek White and light green parts only
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 25 g Butter
- 2 g Thyme a few sprigs
- ¼ teaspoon Sea salt
- ½ Lemon for the juice
- 100 ml Vegetable stock
- 8 sheets Filo pastry
- 50 g Butter
- 50 g Feta cheese
- 15 g Parsley
- ¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180ºC (fan-assisted)
- Wash the leek thoroughly. Pat dry and trim the leek to the size of the base of your oven-proof pan. Then cut it in half lengthwise and wash it again to remove any mud/dirt between the layers.
- Melt 50g butter for the filo sheets, then set aside.
- Wash, pat dry and chop parsley.
- Heat olive oil in your oven-proof pan, add the leeks (cut side down), and cook over medium heat. Add butter and thyme, and season with salt and the juice of ½ a lemon. Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the vegetable stock and cook further for five minutes.
- While the leek is cooking, roll out the filo pastry and separate it into two sheets. Brush each pair of filo sheets with melted butter, then stack them.
- Drape the pastry over the leeks, fold and tuck the edges into the sides of the pan. Brush the top with more butter and bake for 30 minutes, until the filo is golden and crispy.
- Once ready, remove from the oven and allow it to cool for five minutes. Then carefully flip the tart onto a chopping board or plate. If any leeks stick to the bottom of the pan, remove them and reassemble them onto the tart.
- Top the tart with Aleppo pepper, chopped parsley and feta crumbles. Add a drizzle of honey ( optional ) and serve warm.
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More tart recipes
Here are more tart recipe ideas, both sweet and savoury, for you to try:
Food Safety
- Wash your hands regularly while preparing, handling and cooking food.
- Wipe down countertops and high-contact points regularly.
- If you cook meat and fish, do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat. Use separate chopping boards for meat and fish. Wash your chopping boards immediately after use.
- Thoroughly cook food to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
- Don't leave food at room temperature for extended periods (more than 2 hours).
- Store food correctly.
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