Is It OK to Use Store-Bought Pie Dough?

Me? I’m particular about desserts and tend to turn up my nose at baking shortcuts (except for Ghirardelli brownie mix, which I will proudly stand behind for all time). If I’m making a sweet pie, I won’t consider premade pie crusts, which tend to have inferior texture and flavor to homemade. But for dinner? All bets are off. Anything that can get a comforting meal on the table for my family even faster is a win in my book.

This Summer Squash Tart delivers just that: It starts with a store-bought pie dough round (our favorite is Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts, which, happily, is readily available nationwide). Spread that dough with Boursin cheese, which is another great weeknight shortcut ingredient, packing lots of savory garlic and herb flavor into a tangy cheese. Then sprinkle on lemon zest, shingle some salted and drained thinly sliced squash over top, and bake for the fastest-ever savory galette.

The best part is you can use this formula with all kinds of seasonal vegetables: I like to use shaved asparagus in the spring, heirloom tomatoes and corn kernels in the summer, and mushrooms and red onions through the fall and winter.

Just think, with all the time you save on these speedy dinners, you can make a pie for dessert! From scratch, of course.