Cherry Tomato and Fresh Basil Tart
At the height of tomato season you need to make tomato centric recipes and that just so happens to be a tasty tomato tart.
Towards the end of summer between my CSA and my own garden, I have tomatoes coming out of my ears. When you have such a glorious abundance of fresh summer tomatoes, you have to use them. So of course, I decided to make a delicious tomato tart perfect for any summer gathering or simple supper. There’s nothing better than a roasted summer cherry tomato with crispy puff pastry and of course fresh basil, it’s pure bliss.
Cherry Tomato and Fresh Basil Tart
12-14 cherry tomatoes
1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 TBSP balsamic Vinegar
1 TBSP dried minced onion
1 tsp garlic powder
1 roll of frozen puff pastry, thawed
5-6 leaves fresh basil, chopped
Freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
Kosher salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
On the parchment, place about a tablespoon of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Take care that it is drizzled evenly all over the surface of the parchment. Sprinkle your dried minced onion on the oil and vinegar.
Cut your cherry tomatoes in half and place them cut side down onto the seasoned parchment, leaving an inch border from the edges of the baking sheet. Sprinkle the garlic powder and some salt onto the tomatoes
Unroll your puff pastry onto the countertop that’s been very lightly dusted with flour. With a rolling pin, flatten your entire sheet of pastry until it’s about a ¼” thick. It should be roughly the size of the area where your tomatoes were placed.
Place your pastry over your tomatoes and oil, stretching out the dough if needed to fully encapsulate the filling..
With a fork, crimp the edges to create a slight seal around your filling. Then prick the tops of your pastry to create air vents so the tomatoes can release their steam as they cook.
Next, make an egg wash by beating together one egg with about a teaspoon of water. Brush your pastry with the egg wash.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until your pastry is a nice golden brown.
Once baked, let the tarts cool for 5 minutes on the pan. After that time flip over the tarts so the tomatoes are facing up. Top your tarts with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano and the fresh basil.
Cut your tart into squares and serve warm. Feel free to pair it with a salad to make it a complete meal.
*Notes:
You need to use a rimmed baking sheet for this tart! As the tart cooks the tomatoes will release a lot of liquid. If you don’t have a rimmed sheet, you risk leaking the tomato juices onto the bottom of your oven instead of having your pastry soak up the yummy juices.
Some of your tomatoes might stick to the parchment after baking. That’s ok, it’s from the natural sugars of the tomato. Simply pry them off and stick them back on the baked pastry.