Plated + Served: 10-Tomato Tart
Had your fill of fresh tomatoes yet? Yeah, me neither.
Where I live, we get just a few months to enjoy farm fresh, luscious tomatoes… especially the heirloom variety. Then it’s back to those no-taste hard red baseballs, which I try desperately not to buy unless I’m forced.
This 10-Tomato Tart recipe uses 10 different kinds of tomatoes. You really can taste the tomatoes… they’re not hidden in an egg custard or baked until they disintegrate. Flash the tomatoes in the oven for just a bit in order to sweeten and round out their tangy flavor. Adding a hint of Gruyere cheese gives it all some depth.
I made the crust from scratch, but you can use a store-bought refrigerated piecrust to make it easier.
You don’t have to use 10 different kinds of tomatoes… use what you can find. But make this tart as soon as you can because when the tomatoes are gone, the warm days of summer will be almost finished as well.
10-Tomato Tart
prep: 1 hour (includes chilling dough, if you make your own crust)
cook: 35 minutes (includes blind baking crust)
serves: 8
you’ll need…
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons ice water
1½ cups grated gruyere cheese
1/2 to 1 lb. heirloom tomatoes (as many different varieties, colors and sizes that you can find)
salt and pepper to taste
let’s get to it…
Pulse together the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms pea-size pieces. Drizzle in the ice water and pulse until the mixture holds together.
Remove the dough from the food processor and form into a ball, wrap in plastic and flatten into a disc. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
Cut the tomatoes into ½ inch slices; place on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels to drain.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Roll out the tart dough ½-inch thick on a lightly floured surface between two sheets of plastic wrap; line a 9-inch pie pan with the dough and seal the edges with a fork or your fingers. Line the crust with foil, fill with pie weights and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove the weights and foil and let cool.
Sprinkle the cheese on the bottom of the piecrust.
Layer the tomatoes on top of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.
Serve while warm.
