Tomato Tart

Hello Monday.  Time to use up the last of those summer tomatoes!  I snagged these at the Farmers' Market so they were still nice and fresh.  This tomato tart calls for lots of cheese, lots of tomato, and lots of basil... three of my favorite things. 

I can't remember how I found this recipe, but it has been calling my name for awhile now.  I think I'd been putting off making it because I don't have a tart pan.  I know, right?  I finally decided to just go for it and use a cake pan.  I know, I'm crazy.

Basil & Garlic Dough

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 medium garlic clove
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 8 - 10 pieces
• 4 - 5 Tablespoons ice water

Method

• Place the basil and garlic in the work bowl of a food processor.  Process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until finely chopped.  Add flour and salt; pulse to combine.
• Add butter.  Pulse about 10 times.
• Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing several times after each addition.  After 4 tablespoons water have been added, process the dough for several seconds to see if it forms a ball.  If not, add remaining water.  Process until dough forms into a ball (I had to add a couple extra tablespoons).  Remove from processor.
• Flatten the dough into a 5 - inch disk.  Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour (I left it in there overnight).
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle.  Lay the dough over the tart pan (or cake pan), and press it into the pan.  Trim the dough, and proceed with the recipe as directed.

Tomato Tart with Basil & Garlic Crust

Ingredients

• 1 recipe basil & garlic tart dough.
• 8 oz sliced fresh mozzarella
• 2 large ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound, I used 3 small guys), cored and cut crosswise into thin slices
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Method

• Press dough into tart pan with removable bottom (whoa, I missed that removable bottom part!)
• Preheat oven to 375.  Line the bottom of the tart shell with mozzarella.  Arrange the tomatoes over the cheese in a ring around the edge of the tart and a second ring in the center.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has started to brown in spots, 35 to 40 minutes.  Cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Before the oven.

Lovely tomato tart.

After the oven.

Big cheesy slice for me.

I know my tart didn't turn out super professional looking, but it tasted like heaven.  Heaven.  It was so cheesy.  The crust was so buttery.  The whole thing was so totally delicious.  The crust was really easy to make, and it was probably the hardest part of this whole thing. 

This is good.  Please go make it right now.  Then call me... because it is always nice to share.

Happy {meatless} Monday!