It’s heirloom tomato season! They’re delicious and the crowning glory of today’s recipe, Heirloom Tomato Tart. It’s is a great dish. Heirloom tomatoes are cradled on a base of puff pastry. A layer of ricotta cheese mixed with garlic and basil is sandwiched in between to bring the flavors and textures together. It’s awesome.

Heirloom Tomato Tart by Diverse Dinners

Anyone for brunch?! A hearty slice of Heirloom Tomato Tart with a side salad is a brunch delight. It’s easy to make and simple to serve. It’s a great for lunch too,

I used store bought frozen puff pastry in this recipe. It’s the simplest way to create this dish, puff pastry can be a chore to make, so follow my lead.

I love heirloom tomatoes, the intense flavor, the odd shapes and sizes, the vibrant colors. On sight, they immediately speak to your tastebuds implying a delicious meal before you even take a taste. They taste great on their own with a sprinkling of salt as a side salad. Likewise, adding them to a dish as the feature of a meal is also a winner idea.

I will be sharing a few more recipes featuring heirloom tomatoes, so come back soon.

What I really like about this dish is that it can be frozen. Just cut it into individual servings, wrap in wax paper or parchment paper and place in a sealable freezer bag before placing in the freezer. It’s good frozen for a few months, allow to defrost before heating in the oven.

The end of summer is nigh folks, so if you plan on having a modest gathering you better get to planning. Heirloom Tomato Tart can be sliced into small bite size chunks and served to a group as passed hors d’oeuvres. The layered flavors work really well with a cocktail, so give it a try.

Heirloom Tomato Tart

Prep Time1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 6 -8 Slices

Ingredients

  • 3 large heirloom tomatoes
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 x puff pastry sheets
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil sliced + extra for garnish.
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • Egg wash - 1 egg & 1 tbsp water or milk

Instructions

  • Slice tomatoes approx. 1/3 inch thick.
  • Sprinkle 1 tsp salt over tomatoes and place them in the fridge for 30 minutes. The salt will help to pull the excess juices from the tomatoes.
  • Place pastry sheets on top of each other and roll out to approx. 14-16 inches in length, keeping the original rectangular shape.
  • Wrap pastry round the rolling pin and carefully place onto a parchment lined cooking tray.
  • Create a border on all sides of the pastry by scoring it with a knife 1 inch from each side. Be careful you don't want to cut all the way through the pastry.
  • Place pastry in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
  • Remove tomatoes from fridge. Using paper towels, gently press the tomatoes to remove the excess juices and set aside.
  • Whisk ricotta, egg, garlic, basil, the remaining salt and black pepper until completely combined.
  • Once the pastry has rested spread ricotta mixture over the pastry, leaving the 1 inch boarder bare.
  • Arrange tomatoes on top of the ricotta. If needed cut some of the tomato slices into halves or quarters to cover the ricotta mixture.
  • Whisk together an egg and 1 tbsp of cold water or milk and brush on the 1 inch pastry border.
  • Place in a preheated oven at 420 and cook until pastry is golden - approx. 25 minutes.
  • Allow tart to cool a little before serving and garnish with basil.