1. Place a rack in the center of the over and preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Place the puff pastry sheet on an un-greased baking sheet and set aside.

3. Peel and slice the peaches. Place the sliced peaches, sugar, and cinnamon, if using, in a small bowl and stir to combine. Spoon the peaches into the center of the puff pasty, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Dot the top of the peaches with butter, if using. Gently fold the edges of the puff pastry up around the peaches. Sprinkle the pastry and peaches with the reserved 1 tablespoon of sugar.

4. Bake the tart until the pastry puffs up around the edges and is well browned, 28–32 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Slice the tart into rectangular pieces. Serve the tart in shallow bowls, topped with vanilla ice cream or a drizzling of heavy cream.

Variations:

Try substituting 1 cup of fresh blueberries for 1 cup of the peaches.

Sprinkle ¼ cup of finely chopped pecans on top of the tart before baking it.

Omit the cinnamon and add nutmeg – or nothing at all.

Sprinkle ¼ cup of fresh raspberries and another 1 tablespoon of sugar on top of the peaches before baking the tart.

Drain the peaches and sugar mixture well. Spread the pastry with lemon curd, then top it with the peaches.