It’s not fair to call such a beautiful tart a “scrap tart,” but that’s the name that applies. The first time I made it, I was using up leftovers from several bags of nuts. I’ve since come up with all sorts of more intentional combinations, and it’s great with nearly any nut. The phyllo crust is oh-so-crisp—and great for when you’re not up for a full-on piecrust.
Makes one 10-inch tart
Difficulty: Easy
Make Ahead and Storage: The tart can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days more.
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C, preferably with a baking stone on the bottom rack. Lightly grease a 10-inch tart pan and place it on a foil-lined baking sheet.
2. Make the crust: Unfold the phyllo sheets and cover them with damp paper towels. In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Place one sheet of phyllo on your work surface (keep the remaining sheets covered) and brush it all over with butter. Evenly sprinkle on a heaping teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar. Place another sheet of phyllo on top, arranging it slightly askew so that the corners of the 2 sheets do not match up, and brush with butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Repeat with the remaining phyllo, butter, and sugar. The finished “crust” should look like a sunflower, with multiple corners poking out from the mismatched sheets of phyllo.
3. Carefully transfer the phyllo to the prepared tart pan. Press the layered phyllo sheets into the bottom of the pan and up the sides to completely cover it; work around the edges with your fingers, scrunching the layered phyllo together to create a ruffled effect. Set aside.
4. Make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, brown sugar, honey, salt, and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking until each one is fully incorporated before adding the next.
5. Place the nuts in the crust, spreading them out with your hands to settle them in evenly. Slowly pour the custard over the nuts.
6. Bake the tart on the stone or bottom rack until the filling is set at the edges but slightly jiggly in the center, 33 to 36 minutes; the nuts should look lightly golden and the crust should be evenly browned. Cool completely.
✻ Why It Works
Much like a traditional nut pie (think pecan), this tart uses a simple custard to enrobe the nuts. The egg proteins coagulate in the oven, so the custard sets into a creamy filling. Overbaking the tart will result in a tough or rubbery filling—bake it until the custard is just barely set so it stays silky smooth.
★ Pro Tip
Paper-thin phyllo can sometimes brown too quickly. Keep a close eye on the crust throughout the baking time, and at the first sign of overbrowning, loosely tent the tart with aluminum foil. This protects the edges while keeping the oven hot enough that the bottom of the tart gets nice and crisp.