bohemianwanderer – This tomato tart combines golden puff pastry with cherry tomatoes, red onion, fresh basil, and a vibrant green sauce. The recipe takes about 10 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook. It serves six people and works well as a light lunch, starter, or vegetarian main course.
For the tart, use a 320g pack of ready-rolled puff pastry. An all-butter pastry provides a rich flavor, although vegan ready-rolled puff pastry can also be used. You will need one beaten egg yolk for glazing the pastry.
The topping requires one small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced. Prepare 340g cherry tomatoes, preferably using a mixture of different colors. Cut the tomatoes in half before assembling the tart.
Season the tart with salt and black pepper according to taste. Finish it with 10g fresh basil leaves, which should be torn over the tart before serving.
The green sauce uses several fresh herbs for its flavor. Prepare 10g flat-leaf parsley leaves, 10g basil leaves, 10g mint leaves, and 5g dill leaves.
You will also need one garlic clove, peeled and finely grated. Add 20g drained capers, the zest of one lemon, and 25ml lemon juice. Finish the sauce with 40ml extra-virgin olive oil.
Begin by preparing the green sauce. Finely chop all the herbs before placing them into a blender. Add the grated garlic, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil.
Blend the ingredients until they form a coarse paste. Avoid processing the mixture until completely smooth, as the sauce should retain some texture. Set the finished sauce aside while preparing the pastry.
For the tart, place the ready-rolled puff pastry flat on a lined, heavy oven tray. Make sure the pastry sits evenly on the tray before adding the toppings.
Using a small knife, score a border approximately 2cm from the edges of the pastry. Take care not to cut completely through the pastry.
Brush the scored border with the beaten egg yolk. This creates a golden finish around the outside edge as the tart bakes.
Bake the Tomato Tart Until Crisp and Golden
Use a fork to dock the pastry inside the scored border. Make small holes across the pastry surface while keeping the raised border intact. This helps control the pastry’s rise during baking.
Spread the green sauce across the pastry inside the border. Cover the surface evenly without spreading the sauce onto the outer edge.
Scatter the thinly sliced red onion across the green sauce. Distribute the onion evenly so that it cooks alongside the tomatoes.
Arrange the halved cherry tomatoes over the onion layer. Place the tomatoes cut side facing upward across the pastry surface.
Season the tomatoes generously with salt and black pepper. The seasoning helps bring out the natural sweetness and acidity of the tomatoes during baking.
Preheat the oven to 195C, or 175C for a fan oven. The equivalent temperature is 380F or gas mark 5½.
Bake the tart for approximately 30 minutes. Continue baking until the underside of the pastry becomes crisp and golden brown.
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Check the pastry underneath before removing the tart from the oven. The base should be fully cooked and crisp rather than soft or doughy.
Once baked, remove the tart from the oven and scatter the fresh basil leaves over the top. Tear the leaves into smaller pieces before distributing them across the tomatoes.
The tart can be served warm or at room temperature. Its crisp pastry provides a contrast to the juicy roasted tomatoes and softened onion.
Serve the finished tart with a crisp green salad for a simple and balanced meal. The fresh salad also provides a light contrast to the buttery pastry and rich green sauce.
