In the summer, as tomato season reaches its peak, my kitchen frequently overflows with perfectly ripe specimins. They are mostly red, with a few oranges, yellows, purples and stripes thrown in for variety. Many are heirloom varieties, all are organic, and each and every one is absolutely delicious.
There are lots of things you can do with a kitchen full of tomatoes. Gazpacho , bruschetta , tomato sandwiches and salsa are just a few of the things that spring to mind. For really top-notch tomatoes, I like to stick to simple dishes so that their flavor comes through, but I also like variety, so I don’t want to have a tomato salad every day.
This tart is a great summer dish to make. It is quick, easy, looks gorgeous and uses only three ingredients – tomatoes, parmesan and puff pastry. The tomatoes and parmesan should be the best quality (i.e. heirloom/organic tomatoes and cheese that doesn’t come from a shelf-stable can) because the presentation really allows them to shine. Plus, there is nothing for a mediocre tomato to hide behind here, so you really have to go for the best to get the best results. The pastry can be homemade or store-bought.
In the recipe below, I am purposely vague on the amount of the ingredients. Depending on brand, puff pastry can be many sizes. Use just one sheet, or enough to fit on your baking sheet. Parmesan is used to taste. Since I use it as a replacement for flour when rolling out the dough for this tart, I tend to sprinkle it on as I work. Finally, I didn’t specify the number of tomatoes you’ll need to make this tart. Since heirloom tomatoes can vary radically in size, the number does not matter as long as you end up with enough slices to cover the pastry in a single layer. I have made it using only one gigantic tomato, and I have also made it using a dozen very small tomatoes. Hopefully, you’ll have several tomatoes on hand all season and you will be able to slice as needed.
Parmesan Tomato Tart
1 sheet puff pastry
3/4 – 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
fresh heirloom/organic tomatoes
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375F.
Thaw puff pastry slightly, if frozen, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with approx 1/3 cup of parmesan cheese and roll out pastry until it is 1/8-inch thick and cheese is firmly pressed into the dough. Add a bit more cheese if necessary to prevent sticking.
Slice tomatoes into 1/8-inch thick slices (or as thin as you can make them) using a very sharp knife. Use a paper towel to blot up excess juice if your tomatoes happen to be extra juicy. Place tomatoes in a single layer on pastry, overlapping the tomatoes very slightly at the edges and leaving a 1/4 – 1/2-inch border around the sides of the pastry.
Top with remaining cheese (or a bit less, as you prefer), and add a generous sprinkle of both salt and pepper.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until pastry is puffed and golden.
Slice and serve immediately.
Serves 4 as a main dish, 8-10 as an appetizer.
Dena
July 25, 2007Yum…I don’t know why, but tomatoes haven’t started appearing at our local farmers’ markets here (Boston). Maybe next week.
Lydia
July 25, 2007We have beautiful farmers’ market tomatoes here in Rhode Island, and there’s always puff pastry in my freezer and some good parm in the fridge. Perfect recipe!
Heidi - Botanical PaperWorks
July 25, 2007This recipe looks awesome! I have six plants in my garden, ready to bear some gorgeous tomatoes. Thanks for some great ideas for tasty tomato treats!
happy baker
July 26, 2007This looks FABULOUS! And perfect for the summer.
Fast questions – is it good the next day? Does it travel well (i.e. if I wanted to cut it up and pack it as a snack for a concert?) And have you ever added any herbs to it?
This looks so HANDY – thanks for posting!
Kevin
July 28, 2007That looks great and super simple.
Jodi
August 4, 2007Thanks for the recipe! I made this last night to accompany Summer Minestrone soup from the Moosewood Daily Special cookbook. It was wonderful and oh-so-easy.
I often make pesto palmiers using puff pastry dough. I spread pesto (or olive tapenade) and freshly grated parmesan over the puff pastry, roll in the sides to form a long, heart-shaped log, and cut thin slices. I bake them at 400 until puffed and golden.
Liz
September 6, 2007This was wonderful!
Kelli
March 2, 2012Saw this on pinterest and made it tonight. We loved it! Paired it will a big spring greens salad. Thanks for the recipe!
Sandra :)
August 20, 2014Found the recipe on Pinterest this morning, and made it this afternoon with tomatoes from my neighbour’s garden 😀 IT IS DELICIOUS! And beyond simple to make – definitely a winner!