Ricotta & Tomato Tart
This beautiful dish blooms with flavours - basil, mint, two distinct hard cheeses and tomatoes, all bound up in luscious ricotta. It's been adapted from The Tasting Table with a softer crust and to reduce the amount of aromatic. Either way, this dish is a winner, an attractive way to showcase your garden's tomatoes.
Try subbing in feta for the parmesan for yet another dinner option, or turn them into tarts for a savoury appetizer.
More tasty tomato dishes: Paneer with Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce, Roasted Tomatoes with White Beans, Feta & Basil
Time: 60 minutes overall - total 25 minutes to make and bake the dough, 30 minutes to drain the tomatoes, up to 45 minutes to bake the tart.
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients for the Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3/4 cup grated Gruyère or emmental cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup ice water
Ingredients for the filling
2 cups ricotta
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup mint leaves
2 teaspoons lemon zest
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 egg
pinch red pepper flakes
kosher salt, to taste
1 pound heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
Flakey sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Basil and mint leaves, for garnish (optional)
Method
Make the crust: In a large bowl. Stir together the flour, cheese and salt.
Add the butter, tossing with your fingers to smash each piece into the flour.
Stir in the water and knead until a dough forms.
Transfer to a generously floured work surface and roll into a 14-inch round. Brush off the excess flour and drape the round over an 11-inch tart pan or a 9-inch pie plate, making sure the dough is flush with the pan. Press a rolling pin across the top of the tart pan to trim any excess dough. Chill for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Meanwhile, make the filling: In a food processor, purée all the filling ingredients ricotta, grated Parmesan, basil leaves, mint leaves, lemon zest, garlic cloves, smashed, egg, pepper flakes, kosher salt, to taste, until smooth. Set aside.
Dock the dough by poking it all over with the tines of a fork. Line the dough with foil and fill with baking beans or pie weights. Bake until puffed and lightly golden along the edges, 15 minutes. Remove and let cool.
Slice the tomatoes and lay out on a towel or paper towel. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Turn over and salt the other side. Let sit for 20-30 minutes to draw out the moisture.
Assemble the tart: Pour the filling into the tart or pie shell and smooth with an offset spatula. Layer the tomatoes in a concentric circle over the filling.
Drizzle with olive oil and honey, then season the tomatoes with flake salt and pepper.
Bake until the tomatoes are wilted and the filling is set, 30 minutes for a tart pan, 45 minutes for a pie pan.
Let cool completely. Garnish with basil and mint leaves if desired, then slice and serve.
This beautiful dish blooms with flavours - basil, mint, two distinct hard cheeses and tomatoes, all bound up in luscious ricotta. It's been adapted from The Tasting Table with a softer crust and to reduce the amount of aromatic. Either way, this dish is a winner, an attractive way to showcase your garden's tomatoes.
Try subbing in feta for the parmesan for yet another dinner option, or turn them into tarts for a savoury appetizer.
More tasty tomato dishes: Paneer with Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce, Roasted Tomatoes with White Beans, Feta & Basil
Time: 60 minutes overall - total 25 minutes to make and bake the dough, 30 minutes to drain the tomatoes, up to 45 minutes to bake the tart.
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients for the Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3/4 cup grated Gruyère or emmental cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup ice water
Ingredients for the filling
2 cups ricotta
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup mint leaves
2 teaspoons lemon zest
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 egg
pinch red pepper flakes
kosher salt, to taste
1 pound heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
Flakey sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Basil and mint leaves, for garnish (optional)
Method
Make the crust: In a large bowl. Stir together the flour, cheese and salt.
Add the butter, tossing with your fingers to smash each piece into the flour.
Stir in the water and knead until a dough forms.
Transfer to a generously floured work surface and roll into a 14-inch round. Brush off the excess flour and drape the round over an 11-inch tart pan or a 9-inch pie plate, making sure the dough is flush with the pan. Press a rolling pin across the top of the tart pan to trim any excess dough. Chill for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Meanwhile, make the filling: In a food processor, purée all the filling ingredients ricotta, grated Parmesan, basil leaves, mint leaves, lemon zest, garlic cloves, smashed, egg, pepper flakes, kosher salt, to taste, until smooth. Set aside.
Dock the dough by poking it all over with the tines of a fork. Line the dough with foil and fill with baking beans or pie weights. Bake until puffed and lightly golden along the edges, 15 minutes. Remove and let cool.
Slice the tomatoes and lay out on a towel or paper towel. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Turn over and salt the other side. Let sit for 20-30 minutes to draw out the moisture.
Assemble the tart: Pour the filling into the tart or pie shell and smooth with an offset spatula. Layer the tomatoes in a concentric circle over the filling.
Drizzle with olive oil and honey, then season the tomatoes with flake salt and pepper.
Bake until the tomatoes are wilted and the filling is set, 30 minutes for a tart pan, 45 minutes for a pie pan.
Let cool completely. Garnish with basil and mint leaves if desired, then slice and serve.