What a beautiful Monday it is. It’s been incredibly hot and humid these past couple days, nothing like the beach and pool-time can’t cure. I’m a couple shades tanner than normal, and loving summertime festivities. I really don’t think Fall weather will be apparent in SoCal until late October and until then I will take full advantage of all the wonderful summer-ish things.
One of my favorite summer foods that I been eating non-stop are tomatoes. My tomato garden has thrived, and has been very bountiful and sadly they are slowly withering away. It’s sad to see them not producing, but we have had our fair share of tomato-based dishes these past couple of months. I have had my eye on this dish since the beginning of summer, and I have neglected to make it earlier. Please make this if you still have tomatoes and you will be oohing in delight.
It’s a perfect Meatless Monday dinner of beautiful heirloom tomatoes on top of a tart with ricotta and mozzarella cheese.
Simple and delicious!
Fresh Tomato Tart with Basil-Garlic Crust
Adapted from Ezra Pound Cake
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
1 recipe Basil-Garlic Tart Dough (recipe follows)
8 ounces sliced mozzarella
8 ounces ricotta cheese, drained
1 teaspoon fresh Italian Parsley
2 large, ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound), cored and cut crosswise into thin slices
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation:
Prepare the dough, and press it into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl combine the drained ricotta cheese and chopped parsley together. Spread a layer of the mixed ricotta on the bottom of the tart shell and then layer the 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. (The tart may be covered and kept at room temperature for 6 hours.)
Basil-Garlic Tart Dough
⅓ cup fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 8 to 10 pieces
4-5 tablespoons ice water
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, or until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.
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 the mixture forms a ball. If not, add remaining water. Process until dough forms into a ball. Remove dough from processor.
Flatten the dough into a 5-inch disk. Wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The dough can be placed in a zipper-lock plastic bag and refrigerated for several days or frozen for 1 month. If frozen, defrost the dough in the refrigerator.)
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Lay the dough over the tart pan, and press it into the pan. Trim the dough, and proceed with the recipe as directed.
Review: Pure deliciousness and a perfect dinner. I paired this with a simple mixed greens salad. Easy and simple dinners are my favorite thing about summer. How will Fall dishes fare? Luckily, I still have another month or so to change it up!
