Rosemary's Fresh Tomato Tart
Rosemary Chiariello, as an innkeeper, I like to make pies and tarts. So, savory ones are always good breakfast ideas. People get tired of quiche all the time. I've had this savory tart recipe for a number of years....can't remember where I first got it. But it's a versatile one as well. I use it for eggplant and zucchini as well. Leftovers can be refrigerated and they reheat beautifully (or can be eaten directly out of the fridge).
Rosemary Chiariello, as an innkeeper, I like to make pies and tarts. So, savory ones are always good breakfast ideas. People get tired of quiche all the time. I've had this savory tart recipe for a number of years....can't remember where I first got it. But it's a versatile one as well. I use it for eggplant and zucchini as well. Leftovers can be refrigerated and they reheat beautifully (or can be eaten directly out of the fridge).
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- filling:
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/4 cup dijon mustard
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup ice water
- tart pastry:
- 1 1/2 stick unsalted butter cold, cut into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
- 1 pound mozzarella shredded
- 8-10 medium sized ripe firm tomatoes (use heirloom for color if you want)
- 1 tablespoon each fresh chopped oregano and basil
- Carbohydrate 36.8890628625056 g
- Cholesterol 109.120686133333 mg
- Fat 38.026318187195 g
- Fiber 2.45546561815127 g
- Protein 24.4180868034136 g
- Saturated Fat 22.5598587341977 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (245g)
- Sodium 1188.39246451941 mg
- Sugar 34.4335972443543 g
- Trans Fat 2.47178837111895 g
- Calories 585 calories
Step-by-step
- Put dry ingredients into food processor & mix. Add butter and mix until like pebbles. Add water, slowly until dough ball forms. Turn out onto board, and knead a few times. Pat into disk and refrigerate for one hour.
- Roll out 1/8-inch thick into an 11- or 12-inch circle, and press into 9-10 inch tart pan. Pierce bottom with fork tines, to prevent puffing while baking.
- Whisk together Balsamic and mustard. Brush onto the bottom of tart. Place the mozzarella, spreading evenly all around bottom. Lay the Tomatoes down, overlapping, in a circular pattern, starting from the outer edge, and ending in the center. You should have 2-3 rows when finished. Sprinkle herbs and garlic all over, drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.
Pastry Precision
Unlike a standard pie that relies on shortening for flakiness, this tart crust demands cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces to achieve a crisp, shattering bite. Pulse the dry ingredients in a food processor just until the mixture resembles coarse pebbles before streaming in the ice water. Chilling the dough disk for exactly one hour relaxes the gluten network so the pastry rolls out easily to an eighth-inch thickness without shrinking back from the edges of the pan.Acid and Dairy Balances
Brushing the blind-baked or raw pastry base with a mixture of balsamic glaze and sharp Dijon mustard serves a crucial chemical purpose beyond adding tang. This condiment layer acts as a moisture barrier, preventing the heavy moisture released from one pound of shredded mozzarella and ripe tomatoes from turning the bottom crust soggy. When layering heirloom tomatoes, slice them uniformly and salt them lightly beforehand to draw out excess liquid that might otherwise pool during the forty-minute bake at 400 degrees.Strategic Swaps
Adapting the filling requires managing hydration levels carefully. Substituting zucchini or eggplant for tomatoes means those vegetables must be thoroughly salted and pressed dry on paper towels for thirty minutes to eliminate water content that ruins the cheese melt. Leftovers keep safely in the refrigerator for up to four days, and cold slices taste remarkably sharp because chilling firms the butter-rich crust and concentrates the garlic and herb aromatics.
