Summer Tomato Tart [Video]
This summer tomato tart is the ultimate celebration of juicy, ripe tomatoes at their peak. You'll love the homemade cheesy puff pastry with basil pesto and sliced tomatoes. This easy dinner recipe is light, vibrant, and bursting with flavour, making it a perfect dish for summertime!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the Cheddar Cheese Pastry
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- ⅔ cup salted butter
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1¾ ounce cheddar cheese grated
For the Walnut Pesto
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup walnuts chopped
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- ¼ to ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ounce Parmesan grated
- 1 ounce Pecorino Romano grated
- flaky sea salt to taste
For the Tomato Tart
- 1 disc cheddar cheese puff pastry from above
- 2 large tomatoes sliced
- 3½ ounces ricotta
- 2 tablespoons walnut pesto (ingredients above)
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- olive oil for drizzling
- 1 beaten egg (for egg wash)
Instructions
Making the Cheddar Cheese Puff Pastry
- Freeze: Chill a large bowl, a box grater, and the butter in the freezer for 20 minutes before making the pastry.
- Rub In Butter: Place the flour and salt in the chilled bowl and whisk together. Grate the butter using the chilled grater into the flour. Rub the butter into the flour until you have a pebble-like crumbly texture. You can do this by pinching and rubbing the butter and flour between your fingers.
- Sour Cream & Cheese: Create a well in the centre of the mixture and add the sour cream and cheddar. Use a fork to slowly mix the flour into the sour cream and cheese in the centre until most of the flour is moist.
- Shape & Chill: Lightly dust a work surface with flour and shape the dough into a disc. (The dough should be firm and moist, but not sticky. You want just enough moisture so the dough is barely sticking to itself. If it needs more moisture, slightly wet your hands when working with it or, if it’s too dry, lightly dust it with flour.) Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for 2 hours, or ideally overnight.
- Lamination: Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 2 cm thick and long rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds as if you were folding a piece of paper to go into an envelope. Turn the dough clockwise and roll it back out into a 2 cm thick rectangle. Repeat this step six times until you have created many layers and the dough is smooth.
- Chill: Divide the dough into two and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes or up to 2 days. If you are not using within 2 days, you can store in the freezer for 3 months.
Making the Walnut Pesto
- Blending Pesto: Place the walnuts, garlic cloves and big pinch of salt into a food process and blend until you have a chunky texture. Add the basil leaves to the processor and blend while slowing pouring in the olive oil. Stir through the grated cheese.
Making the Tomato Tart
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F).
- Sweat Tomatoes: Place the tomato slices onto a plate or tea towel, sprinkle generously with salt, and leave to sit for 10 minutes to allow some moisture to be released.
- Ricotta & Pesto: In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta and pesto until well combined.
- Roll out Pastry: Take one disc of puff pastry. Sprinkle your kitchen bench or work surface with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a large circle that is roughly 4 mm thick and 25 cm wide. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin, then lay it over the prepared tray.
- Assemble Tart: Evenly spread the ricotta pesto over the puff pastry, leaving a 4 cm border around the edges. Place the tomato slices over the ricotta pesto sprinkle with a pinch of pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake: Fold the outside 4 cm edge over, pinching the dough together to form a rustic circle shape. Brush the egg wash over all of the dough. This will help give the pastry a lovely golden colour. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden and crispy.
- Serve: Leave to rest for 15 minutes before slicing into it.
Notes
- Use ripe, in-season tomatoes for the best flavour. Heirloom ones are my favourite!
- Salt the tomatoes before adding them to the tart to prevent a soggy bottom.
- Chill the pastry ingredients and tools for 20 minutes before starting to make the flakiest puff pastry!