Okay, I have to admit--I am probably more proud of this tart than of any other dish so far. It came out of the tart pan beautifully and I didn't break it or ruin it or anything! (Confession: there are plenty of recipes that never make it to the blog because they come out looking awful, or else they start by looking great and I somehow manage to destroy them before taking photos...) So the fact that this looked more or less the same in the before and after shots is highly exciting. I'm getting better at this kitchen stuff...
I had seen a tomato tart recipe several months ago, and I held onto the idea until I felt truly inspired--these cherry tomatoes in the CSA share this week gave me the final push! They were gorgeous reds and yellows, and they tasted incredibly fresh, so I thought I might try to showcase them instead of just tossing them in salads all week. This is what I ended up with.
-1 c. flour
-1/2 c. white whole wheat flour
-1/2 t. salt
-1 stick unsalted butter
-1 egg
-2 T ice water
1. In a food processor, pulse the flours and salt together a few times. Working quickly, add cold cubes of butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a course meal.
2. Whisk together the egg and the ice water. Switch the processor on, and pour in the liquid. If the dough does not come together, add another tablespoon of ice water.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly for a few minutes. Roll the dough out into the shape of your tart pan. Coil the dough onto the rolling pin, and then uncoil it over the pan.
4. Anchor the dough to the bottom with your fingertips, and make sure it evenly covers the pan. Run the rolling pin over the top of the pan to neatly trip the edges. If the dough feels too soft, cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
-Dijon mustard
-15 cherry tomatoes, halved
-2 oz. goat cheese, sliced
-2 T. fresh chopped herbs (chives, thyme, and tarragon)
1. Brush the bottom of the tart crust with a layer of Dijon mustard (as much or as little as you like--I used a fairly thick layer and the flavor did not overwhelm).
2. Sprinkle half of the chopped herbs over the mustard. Then add the halved tomatoes. Finish with the slices of goat cheese, and the remainder of the herbs.
3. Bake for 30 minutes at 400* F. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
I was a big fan of this! The Dijon added a kind of unidentifiable tang to the finished product, and the tomatoes and cheese hold up really nicely to baking. I was pleasantly surprised with the dough! It definitely held it's structure, and had a nice mild flavor. And the herbs! Sometimes I get into a rut of using only the Italian herbs, but these three together were great, and all from my window box (they seem to be thriving now that I've stopped abandoning them for trips...) Bottom line: this was pretty and flavorful and I will certainly make it again!
Want.
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