Friday, September 19, 2008

Heirloom Tomato Tart

I've been so busy COOKing from the garden there has been little time left to WRITE about it. Before all your tomatoes disappear, consider making this tomato tart suggested to me by my friend with the night blooming Cereus.

Heirloom Tomato Tart

3 lbs ripe firm tomatoes
pate brise (I just use one pkg of Pillsbury roll out pie crust)
2 heads garlic
3/4 c cheese (fontina, cheddar, aged gouda,etc.)
olive oil
salt, pepper
handful fresh basil
Preheat oven to 350. Cut off top of garlic head, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in tin foil, place on a cookie sheet, and roast until soft. Cool. Squeeze out cloves into a small bowl, mash with a fork and reserve.
Press pie dough into a thin tart pan with a removable bottom, Extend crust up around edges about 1 inch, fold and crimp. Refrigerate about 30 min. Remove from fridge, spread roasted garlic evenly on crust, and sprinkle about 1/2 cheese on.
Preheat oven to 450. Slice tomatoes and "pave" them on the crust, overlapping as you go. (if using heirlooms, here's your chance to alternate colors...a great effect) Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place tart pan on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 min. Reduce oven temp to 425, sprinkle with remaining cheese, (I add more if I feel like it, because I'm a cheese girl) and bake for 20 to 30 more minutes or until brown on edges . My recipe says if the crust gets too brown too fast to cover it with foil, but I've never had that problem. Remove from oven , sprinkle with about a handful of chopped or shredded fresh basil and cool on a wire rack for about 20 min. CAREFULLY push out of outer edges of tart pan, holding onto the bottom, and slide onto a big plate. Yum
A warning ... this requires time, so it is best made in the mid afternoon and served at room temperature. The roasting of the garlic and the making and the chilling of the crust is 40 minutes. The assembly is 10 minutes. The cooking is 60 minutes and the cooling time is 20. Two hours and 10 minutes before you can slice into it. BUT IT IS WORTH IT !!! I've made it three times already this summer.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your photo is blue ribbon quality as usual. And recipe is welcome twist on the tomato/garlic thread.
mbk

Unknown said...

That looks so tasty! I will have to try that sometime.