This recipe is by chef Suzanne Goin, of Lucques in Los Angeles, California. The flavors in this tart are perfect just as written, but depending on your oven, you may want to blind bake the puff pastry for five to ten minutes before adding the cheese and mushrooms to ensure that the pastry bakes to a perfect crisp throughout. If you can’t find chervil, you can substitute arugula, which will give a mild, peppery note to the herb salad.
You can enjoy this tart on its own, or serve slices of the tart alongside a crisp roast chicken or a petite bistro-style steak, topped with herbed butter. It also makes a great appetizer- perfect for wine tasting parties and brunches.
Ingredients:
Tart:
- ½ cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup crème fraîche or sour cream
- 1½ pounds assorted fresh wild mushrooms (such as chanterelle, oyster, or stemmed shiitake), sliced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced on diagonal (about 1½ cups)
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed
- 1 large egg yolk, beaten to blend with 1 teaspoon water (for glaze)
- 4 ounces thinly sliced Gruyère cheese
Salad:
- 6 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley leaves
- ⅓ cup fresh chives, cut into ½” pieces
- 3 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves
- 3 tablespoons fresh chervil leaves
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Preparation:
For tart:
Puree ricotta in processor until smooth, about 1 minute. Add 1 yolk and 2 teaspoons oil and blend. Transfer ricotta mixture to bowl; fold in crème fraîche. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté 7 minutes. Mix in thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add butter and sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes longer. Mix in green onions. Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out puff pastry on lightly floured surface to 13″ x 9″ rectangle. Using sharp knife and starting ¼” in from edge, cut score line around entire perimeter of dough, cutting halfway through. Brush ¼” dough border with glaze. Transfer dough to ungreased heavy baking sheet. Spread ricotta mixture over dough, inside border. Top with half of mushrooms, half of Gruyère, then remaining mushrooms and Gruyère. Bake tart until crust is golden and Gruyère melts, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare salad: 
Toss herbs with oil and lemon juice in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve:
Cut tart into rectangles. Transfer to plates. Garnish with herb salad.