In case you follow this blog's chronicle of dinner menus, you may have noticed this tomato tart turn up here and there lately.
I love making this tomato tart with late summer's sun ripened tomatoes, but oven roasting even makes off-season tomatoes burst with intense sweet flavors. It travels well, making it the perfect appetizer for a picnic, potluck dinner or to prepare ahead for the next stress-free gathering.
I love making this tomato tart with late summer's sun ripened tomatoes, but oven roasting even makes off-season tomatoes burst with intense sweet flavors. It travels well, making it the perfect appetizer for a picnic, potluck dinner or to prepare ahead for the next stress-free gathering.
the ingredients.
2-3 sheets frozen puff pastry* {depending on baking sheet size}
3 pounds cherry or grape tomatoes
1 tin anchovy filets in oil, drained and finely chopped
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh oregano, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh chives, finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 375°F {190°C}.
Let puff pastry thaw at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and fit the pastry sheets side by side into the rimmed sheet.
Trim the pastry sheets where needed and join the sheets by pressing down the back of a fork in an x-pattern along the seam line.
Prick the bottom of the pastry from rim to rim with a fork.
Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with dried beans {so the tart bottom doesn't rise too much}.
Bake until the edges of the tart are turning golden, about 15 minutes.
Remove the beans and parchment paper, sprinkle Parmesan generously over tart shell, and return to the oven to bake until cheese is melted and tart shell is golden all over, another 15–20 minutes.
Transfer to a rack and let cool.
Turn on the oven's broiler and arrange a rack about 4" {10cm} from the heating element.
Slowly heat up olive oil in small pan, add chopped anchovies and stir with wooden spoon until almost disolved. Pour anchovy oil into large bowl, let cool, then add tomatoes.
Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
Transfer tomato mixture to a rimmed baking sheet and broil, shaking pan once or twice, until tomatoes blister, 12–14 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tomato mixture to the prepared tart shell; distribute tomatoes evenly.
Increase oven heat to 425°F {220°C}.
In a medium bowl, combine the chopped Italian parsley, chives and oregano.
Sprinkle the herb mixture evenly over the tomatoes.
Cover with aluminium foil and return tart to oven and bake until hot, about 15 minutes.
Let tart cool slightly before serving.
* I usually 'cheat' with frozen puff pastry, but if you feel inclined, Junko over at Bay Alien has a recipe for homemade puff pastry
{ adapted from a recipe in Beth Elon's article "Dinner in the Piazza" in Saveur, October 2009 }
3 pounds cherry or grape tomatoes
1 tin anchovy filets in oil, drained and finely chopped
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh oregano, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh chives, finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 375°F {190°C}.
Let puff pastry thaw at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and fit the pastry sheets side by side into the rimmed sheet.
Trim the pastry sheets where needed and join the sheets by pressing down the back of a fork in an x-pattern along the seam line.
Prick the bottom of the pastry from rim to rim with a fork.
Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with dried beans {so the tart bottom doesn't rise too much}.
Bake until the edges of the tart are turning golden, about 15 minutes.
Remove the beans and parchment paper, sprinkle Parmesan generously over tart shell, and return to the oven to bake until cheese is melted and tart shell is golden all over, another 15–20 minutes.
Transfer to a rack and let cool.
Turn on the oven's broiler and arrange a rack about 4" {10cm} from the heating element.
Slowly heat up olive oil in small pan, add chopped anchovies and stir with wooden spoon until almost disolved. Pour anchovy oil into large bowl, let cool, then add tomatoes.
Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
Transfer tomato mixture to a rimmed baking sheet and broil, shaking pan once or twice, until tomatoes blister, 12–14 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tomato mixture to the prepared tart shell; distribute tomatoes evenly.
Increase oven heat to 425°F {220°C}.
In a medium bowl, combine the chopped Italian parsley, chives and oregano.
Sprinkle the herb mixture evenly over the tomatoes.
Cover with aluminium foil and return tart to oven and bake until hot, about 15 minutes.
Let tart cool slightly before serving.
* I usually 'cheat' with frozen puff pastry, but if you feel inclined, Junko over at Bay Alien has a recipe for homemade puff pastry
{ adapted from a recipe in Beth Elon's article "Dinner in the Piazza" in Saveur, October 2009 }
