Tomato Tart

I'm in the weird summer/autumn crossover period right now.  The time when you are trying not to be too eager on the fall front because cool season foods last forever it seems, but all the while wishing you could run full throttle into autumn.  This is one of my bids to slow down and wait, since my tomatoes are not all harvested it's not really fall.  I made a tomato tart, one that I've mentioned earlier and gone totally mad for.  I needed to show you the recipe, so you can remind me next year (not that this won't be on my mind until then!)  I successfully, with restraint, ate only 2/3 of the tart yesterday.  Go me!

Tomato Tart


I used to recipe on David Lebovitz's site with little adaptation.  He calls it a french tomato tart, maybe-so but to me it's mine. muhahahah.


Like David says, if you don't have a tart pan don't worry, you totally don't need one.  Just free-form it on a cookie sheet.  This dough is incredibly forgivable, don't be the least bit frightened.


Ingredients:


Tart Dough:
210 g (1 1/2 c) all-purpose flour
125 g (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
2-3 Tbsp water

Tart:
Dijon or whole grain mustard
1 medium zucchini, sliced in rounds 1/4 inch thick and salted lightly, left to drain for 20 minutes. (optional)
2-3 medium tomatoes (IN SEASON ONLY)
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs, thyme, chives, oregano, rosemary, tarragon, whole or torn basil leaves
8 oz roughly, goat cheese, cut into rounds
1 1/2 Tbsp flavourful local honey

Directions:
To make the dough, combine flour and salt in a medium sized bowl.  Mix together and add butter.  Crumble the butter with your fingers until the mixture has a coarse crumbly texture.

In a small down mix the egg and 1 Tbsp water together.  With a well in the center of the flour mix the water/egg with a fork into the flour, until the dough holds together.  If it's not coming together easily add the additional Tbsp of water.

Gather the dough into a ball and roll onto lightly floured surface.  With a rolling pin spread the dough to cover a 9-inch tart pan (or 11-12 inches around if you want to bake it free-form) adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the counter.  Roll the dough into the rolling pin and into the tart pan.

Press the edges down and the excess off.  Dock the bottom with a fork or fingers.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Spread a few tablespoons of mustard over the bottom of the pie crust.  I used a lot, we really like it.  Leave it out to dry for a few minutes.

Squeeze some liquid out of the zucchini (if using) and place in an even layer on the bottom of the tart.  Slice the tomatoes and add in a single layer evenly over the zucchini.  Drizzle now with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Sprinkle the chopped herbs on top.  Arrange the slices of goat cheese and drizzle with honey.  If you are baking a freeform tart fold the edges over now, gathering to envelop the filling.

Bake at 425 F for 30 minutes or so, until the pastry is cooked, the tomatoes are softened and the cheese is nicely browned.  Bon Appetit!