If you have some slightly sweet vegetables at your disposal — not just carrots, but onions, parsnips, beets or pumpkin — this is the recipe for you. It places them on a bed of creamy ricotta and briny feta supported by flaky puff pastry. The one big tip: Don’t forget to cook your veggies first. Raw vegetables release liquid that can weigh down your otherwise crisp-crunchy puff pastry and take away from its charm.

Carrot Tart With Ricotta and Feta

Ingredients:

• Flour, for rolling out dough

• 1 (14-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed

• 1 pound multicolored carrots, scrubbed and sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

• Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

• 8 ounces ricotta

• 4 ounces feta, crumbled

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• Chopped fresh parsley, chervil or chives, for garnish

Directions:

Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Using a paring knife, lightly score a border around the perimeter of the puff pastry about a 1/4 inch away from the edges. Place puff pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet and prick the pastry inside the border using a fork to prevent puffing in the center. Bake on top rack until puff pastry is lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, toss carrots with 1 tablespoon oil, season generously with salt and pepper and spread into a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast carrots on the bottom rack (underneath the puff pastry) until the edges are golden brown and carrots are still crisp-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

While puff pastry and carrots are in the oven, blend ricotta, feta and garlic in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread the cheese mixture onto the puff pastry up to the border and arrange the carrots in a single layer on top. Bake until the carrots are tender and the edges of the cheese mixture are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs before serving.

Total time: 1 hour, serves 8.

© 2022 The New York Times Company