Puff Pastry

Hélène Wagner-Popoff writes, "My husband, Ivan, and I moved to Corsica from Madagascar eleven years ago on a whim. We restored an abandoned convent and saved the thousand-year-old olive grove surrounding it. The fact that I live in the country — with the luxury of having a garden full of wonderful ingredients — makes it easy for me to love cooking. I strive to teach my three little girls how to take pleasure in the simple, good things in life."

This beautiful appetizer boasts a delicate balance of leek and cheese flavor.

These hors d'oeuvres are a nice addition to a cocktail party.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Purchased puff pastry makes the flaky crust super-easy, while using a nonstick cake pan makes the tarte a cinch to remove.

The rolls should be served warm, so reheat them in batches as platters need replenishing.

(Tarte Renversée Caramélisée aux Abricots) This terrific dessert is similar to a classic apple-based tarte Tatin.

The perfect appetizer with Champagne.

Fresh rhubarb is at its peak in the spring, and this dessert makes the most of it. Use the bright red portion of the rhubarb stalks for the prettiest result. The pastry for these napoleons has a crisp caramel glaze; be sure to butter the baking sheets very well to prevent sticking.

Purchased pastry makes this pie a snap to prepare.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

You can buy a cooked chicken and frozen puff pastry for this dish. Both make this pot pie a very easy family meal.

Don't worry — you won't need a giant oven for this king-size tart. It's made in 4 quadrants, baked one at a time. And because the recipe uses packaged puff pastry, it's fairly simple to prepare.