Savory Pie and Tart

When you're an American in Paris, there's nothing more flattering than to have French people ask you to share your recipe for one of their national treasures. Of all the things I make for my French friends, this is the one that gets the most requests. The easiest way to describe gougères is to call them cheese puffs. Their dough, pâte àchoux, is the same one you'd use for sweet cream puffs or profiteroles, but when the pâte àchoux is destined to become gougères, you fold in a fair amount of grated cheese. In France, I use Gruyère, Comté, Emmenthal, or, just for fun and a spot of color, Mimolette, Gouda's French cousin; in America, I reach for extra-sharp cheddar, and sometimes I add a little smoked cheese to the mix. Gougères are made everywhere in France (and can be bought frozen in many stores), but their home is Burgundy, where they are the first thing you get when you sit down in almost any restaurant. In Burgundy, gougères are often served with the local aperitif, kir; chez Greenspan, where I serve them no matter what I'm pouring as a welcoming glass, my favorite sip-along is Champagne. I love the way Champagne's toastiness and gougères' egginess play together. Although you must spoon out the puffs as soon as the dough is made, the little puffs can be frozen and then baked straight from the freezer, putting them in the realm of the doable even on the spur of the moment.

See "Ingredient Tip" for information on buying pizza dough.

As the tart bakes, some of the beet juice will color the custard and the goat cheese, giving each slice a pretty, almost marbleized look. Since the flavors are a riff on the classic beet, walnut, and goat cheese salad, this tart pairs especially well with greens tossed with a bright vinaigrette. A small slice also makes a somewhat unusual but delicious side dish to grilled lamb chops.

In Galicia, empanadas are large enough to serve many people, unlike the individual empanadas of Latin America.

A green salad dressed with tangy red wine vinaigrette is the perfect accompaniment to this rich cheese custard tart from Le Temps des Vendanges.

A take on the Provençal tart known as pissaladiére, this galette can be served as an hors d'oeuvre or, with a salad, as a light lunch. It gets fullness of flavor from a tangle of sweet caramelized onions that tops a smear of tomato paste enlivened with garlic and anchovies (left over from Mediterranean Eggplant Relish). A flaky homemade pastry crust ups the richness even more.

"Simple, simple, simple! Just throw it in the oven and jump in the shower." That's how food stylist Toni Brogan described this savory pie, a favorite in her native New Zealand. And it really is that easy—just line a pan with puff pastry, fill it up with onions, thinly sliced potatoes, and, in place of the usual bacon, prosciutto (left over from Ravioli with Green Beans and Prosciutto ), then crack some eggs on top and cover with more pastry. By the time everyone is out of the shower, the pie is ready to come out of the oven, all golden and flaky on the outside, layered with deliciousness on the inside. Though it's traditional to serve the pie with ketchup, we love it with some spicy chutney on the side.

The Original: Filling made from ground beef simmered in a spicy tomato sauce. Our Version: Tender pieces of pork simmered with roasted green chiles and salsa verde.

An irresistible vegetarian main course can take a little extra love and time, but food editor Melissa Roberts would be the first person to tell you it's worth it. Fortunately, all the components of this shepherd's pie—from the heady vegetable stew with its red wine gravy to the crown of fluffy mashed potatoes and celery root—can be made ahead. Protein-rich seitan (pronounced "SAY-tan," it's sometimes labeled "wheat gluten") has long been used as a meat substitute by Asian cooks, who know how to coax the most out of its satisfyingly chewy texture. Seitan doesn't have a strong taste of its own, but it soaks up the flavors of whatever it's cooked with.

Using a prepared whole-grain crust makes it easy to enjoy this comforting classic. A one-wedge serving of this wonderful pie may not satisfy larger appetites, so double the recipe to ensure second helpings and, with any luck, some leftovers.

This can help use up all the leftover veggies, too.

These empanadas are moist and full of flavor. If your gravy is thin, simmer to reduce and thicken it, then chill before using.

Layers and layers of thin, tender whole-wheat crêpes and smoked salmon make a stunning multilayered cake-like torte. To serve, cut into small wedges for an appetizer or into slightly larger wedges to accompany a salad.

Savory and full of flavor, this quiche makes a great meal anytime. Serve with smoked salmon and fruit for brunch, or with a salad for supper.

The official vegetable of Georgia since 1990, the sweet, mild Vidalia onion is recognized worldwide for its gentle flavor. However, Vidalias can only be grown in a 20-county production area in and around Vidalia, Georgia, to legally wear the Vidalia label. Because of their thin, tender skins and relatively high sugar content, Vidalia onions are more perishable than most and need to be consumed within about one week of purchase. Look for Georgia-grown Vidalias at farmers markets around the Southeast in early spring through the summer. Although a regular white sweet spring onion would make a fine substitute, Vidalia's signature sweetness is gorgeous with the saltiness of bacon and the mild, lemony bite of fresh thyme in this savory tart. Serve with a salad and you've got a meal to remember. If you want to bypass making tart pastry, go ahead and buy prepared pastry at the grocery.

Quiche became a classic for a very good reason—its creamy, tender custard is as seductive as it is satisfying. Here, deep-colored broccoli boosts the drama quotient for brunch, lunch, or supper.

What you have here—sun-gold bands of decoratively arranged vegetables and clear, immediate flavors enriched with Parmigiano-Reggiano—is an absolute stunner. And, because the torte must be made ahead and weighted (to release excess liquid), it's ideal for entertaining. Serve it with anything grilled (fish, chicken, or lamb, for instance) and your guests will be over the moon.