Savory Tomato Tart……..ohh la la!

Tomato tarts

The Phone Books are here…The phone books are here!!! Am I showing my age or my nerdyness here? Not sure, but finally my tomatoes are here and it feels like that Steve Martin moment. They are smaller than I had thought, but since they have taken 6 months to ripen from a late cool spring and a summer that barely showed up I suppose I shouldn’t complain. They are super sweet, and there are plenty out there on the vine and I have already made 6 batches of roasted tomatoes.

Here is a wonderful recipe I found from Saturday Dish (http://saturdaydish.com) and though it calls for two identical tarts I made two different tarts just to change it up a bit. Glad I did as my second choice was awesome! It’s a pretty easy and quick dish too. Especially if you have half the groceries in your back yard. For the second tart I substituted blue cheese/parm and fresh basil. It was by far my favorite but they were both stellar!

• 1 package of frozen puffed pastry (2 sheets)
• Flour (for dusting)
• 3 medium-sized tomatoes, thinly sliced (for color use red, orange and yellow)
• Olive oil
• 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• Finely shredded Gruyère and pecorino romano cheeses (about 1/3 cup each)
• Egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon of water (egg wash for binding and glazing the sides)
• Course sea salt
• Chives
• (Optional) Balsamic vinegar or hot sauce to finish

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 F° and allow the puffed pastry to defrost according to package directions.
2. Working on a lightly floured surface, unfold one of the puffed pastry sheets and roll into a flat square. Brush the edges with egg wash and fold the edges in (about 1/4 inch). Crimp with a fork.
3. Working on the inside of the fold, prick the pastry with tines of a fork then lightly brush the inside with olive oil. Don’t miss this step as your pastry will be soggy.
4. Arrange the tomato slices so they almost touch the inside of the folded edge and slightly overlap each other. (Note, if the tomatoes are cut too thick their juices could make the tart soggy, so slice them on the thin side.)
5. Sprinkle with fresh thyme and lightly top with half of the cheeses.
6. Brush the outer folded edges with egg wash.
7. Repeat steps above for second pastry sheet. (Substitute other herbs and cheese)
8. Bake in oven for 20 – 25 minutes until puffy and golden brown.
9. Sprinkle with fresh chives and sea salt to taste.
10. (Optional) Lightly sprinkle center with balsamic vinegar or hot sauce. Enjoy.

Serve with a fresh salad and home baked bread. You will sleep like a baby!

Bon Appétit!