Garden Fresh Tomato Tart
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 3 fresh tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thin use different colors if possible
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/3 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, finely shredded
- 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, finely shredded
- 1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon good quality reduced balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Roll out puff pastry on lightly floured counter top so it will fit in a 8 or 9 inch tart pan (with removable bottom) or a pie plate.
- Carefully place pastry in pan and gently push dough until it makes contact with the bottom and sides...then use your rolling pin and roll it across the top to remove excess pastry that is hanging over the rim.
- Cut a sheet of parchment paper and place over pastry.
- Pour dried beans or pie weights into pastry lined pan. Doing this will keep the puff pastry from puffing up too much so that when you do the initial blind bake you will have created a nice well that will hold the cheese spread and tomatoes.
- Bake in 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes.
- While pastry is doing it's first bake, slice tomatoes 1/4 inch thick. Lay on lots of paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Let the water release from tomatoes. Before placing in pastry, you'll take more paper towels and gently blot any excess moisture off the top of the tomatoes...you don't want your tart to be too watery.
- In a medium size bowl mix together the salt, pepper, ricotta, parmigiano, mozzarella and fresh chives.
- In a tiny cup, pour 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and one minced garlic. Stir.
- Once pastry has had it's first bake, remove from oven, take out beans and parchment paper and let cool 15 minutes.
- Gently spread ricotta and herb mixture over base of pastry. Then lay slices of tomatoes, overlapping, until you have filled up the tart/pie pan. Lightly pour the garlic infused olive oil over the tomatoes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 375. Return pan to oven and bake for another 20-25 minutes. The cheese filling will bubble slightly. If edges of pastry seem to be browning too much, tent with small strips of aluminum foil.
- Remove from oven and let tart cool at least 10 minutes. Drizzle with reduced balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with fresh basil leaves.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!