Savory Tomato Tart
Tomato season is upon us and I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up my new favorite tomato tart recipe. It is from one of the best ever French cookbooks, A Kitchen in France by Mimi Thorrison and is, quite literally, as easy as pie. A savory pie. Made with tomatoes. That is perfect to serve for dinner, or lunch, or breakfast with a fried egg on top!
I made this the other day with the very, very first local tomatoes I found at the farmer’s market. The tomatoes in my garden are still green, but these were bright red and bursting with flavor. I plucked some basil from the herb pot and got to work. It took just a minute or two of blitzing in the food processor, rolling out some frozen pie crust I had on hand, and the pie was all but done.
After a brief bake the crust crisped up and fruit and basil oil melded beautifully and dinner was ready. The savory tomatoes with sweet basil and tangy mustard united to make a delectable light summer meal. Paired with a green salad topped with tangy vinaigrette it was best kind of meal to ring in the tomato season.
p.s. a delicious Tomato Pie recipe I love from King Arthur Flour.
adapted from A Kitchen in France, by Mimi Thorisson
Ingredients
- 1 batch your favorite pie crust, or a frozen pie crust that can be rolled out
- 1 handul basil leaves, divided
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Sea salt & fresh pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tomatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ pound fresh mozzarella
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out the pie crust to 12-inches round and place in a tart pan so that it covers the bottom and goes up the sides.
- Place ¾ of the basil, the mustard, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper in a mini-chopper and pulse until it is a smooth paste.
- Using a spatula, spread the tomato paste onto the bottom of the pie crust, then evenly drizzle the basil oil on top so that is cover the bottom of the tart. Layer the tomatoes on top in one even layer, taking care so that they only overlap a little bit. Drizzle the honey on top.
- Place the tart on a cookie sheet and bake it for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned and pulling away from the sides. Remove it from the oven and all it to rest for about 10 minutes, this will allow the oil to absorb.
- Tear the mozzarella and basil and sprinkle them on top of the tart. Slice and serve.
