Mathilde’s Tomato Tart

Yield

Yield: 8 Servings

Ingredients

For the crust (pâte brisée):

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp granulated sugar
½ tsp coarse or kosher salt
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large egg
1 Tbsp water

For the filling:

3 large very ripe tomatoes, sliced crosswise ¼-inch thick (about 1.5 pounds)
Coarse or kosher salt
1 small garlic clove
1 cup basil leaves, loosely packed
2 cups of parsley leaves, loosely packed
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 Tbsp smooth Dijon mustard (double it if you like mustard; skip if you don’t)
2 oz hard cheese, thinly sliced of coarsely grated (provolone, gruyere, cheddar, etc.)
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Make the dough: Place flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and water to the food processor, pulsing to incorporate. Pulse until dough comes together. Turn out dough onto a sheet of parchment and shape into a disk. Place another sheet of parchment on top and roll out to an 11-inch disk. Slide onto a plate or tray and freeze for 10 minutes, until firm but not so hard that it cracks when bent. Line a 9.5-inch tart pan, preferably one with a removable bottom, with the dough. (A pie dish or cake pan lined with parchment could work as well, just keep the sides 1-inch high.) Trim excess dough (reserve in the fridge for patching) and prick the bottom with a fork. Freeze for 20 minutes, until solid.
Bake shell: Preheat the oven to 375°F with rack in center. Place the tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Weigh the crust down with parchment paper and pie weights, dried beans, or rice (that you don’t plan on using for anything else). Bake crust for 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights. If there are any cracks or breaks, you can patch the remaining dough. Bake for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool.
Make the filling: Meanwhile, place tomato slices on a rimmed baking sheet and lightly sprinkle with salt.
Combine garlic, parsley, basil, and ½ tsp salt in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add olive oil and pulse until a spreadable paste forms. You might need to scrape down the sides of the food processor a few times. If making the herb mixture in advance, store in the refrigerator with plastic wrap pressed against its surface.
Blot tomatoes with paper towels to remove excess liquid.
Using a small spoon or offset spatula, spread Dijon mustard evenly on the bottom of the crust. Evenly distribute cheese on top. Dollop with herb mixture and gently spread to cover in a thin layer. Top with tomatoes, overlapping. Cut smaller pieces of tomatoes to fill gaps. The tomatoes shrink while roasting, so keep them sung and the tart pan full. Lightly brush tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.
Bake the tart until tomatoes are softened and the crust is golden, about 50 minutes and up to 1 hour. The tomatoes should be deeply roasted. Allow to cool slightly then serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

NOTE: You can make the dough a few days in advance and refrigerate. You can also bake the crust one day and make and bake the filling another. Leave at room temperature; no need to wrap. Leftovers of the finished tart keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

This recipe was recommended by a member in our Facebook group. Several other members tried the recipe and have given positive reviews, so we thought it was one worth sharing with everyone!

You can view this recipe with the full commentary at SmittenKitchen.com.

For more amazing recipes featuring vegetables from your CSA boxes, visit our recipe archives!