Savory Tomato Tart Recipes

Summer brings a seemingly endless bounty of fresh and delicious vegetables, but the tomato is king. Its slight twang and sweetness is welcome in countless dishes, and it can be used raw just as well as it can be used cooked.

Though it's hard to beat a perfectly ripe tomato with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil, incorporating them into a tart is a delicious and exciting way to use them. Tomatoes play so well with so many other flavors that the filling possibilities are endless.

The downfall of many an otherwise perfect tomato tart is a soggy crust. Even the bright and acidic kick of a fresh tomato isn't enough to overcome a flimsy, wet crust. Fortunately, there is a solution. By salting the tomatoes before adding them to the pie, you can draw out and drain some of the intercellular water that would otherwise be sabotaging your tart. Also, by putting a layer of something fatty, such as cheese, on the bottom, the crust is protected from whatever water does inevitably leach out during cooking.

Mozzarella Tomato Tart
Ingredients You Will Need:
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 balls fresh mozzarella, about 7 ounces each
1 9-inch pie crust
10 slices prosciutto, torn apart
4 tablespoons pesto, store bought or homemade
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pepper to taste

Salt the cherry tomatoes, and place them in a colander for about 10 minutes. Thoroughly rinse them off to remove any extra salt and thoroughly dry them with a clean dish cloth. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Rip apart both balls of mozzarella into small chunks. Take half, and place them on the bottom of the pie crust. Top with the tomatoes and then the prosciutto, spreading them out evenly. Place the pesto in small dollops on top, and crumble on the remaining mozzarella. Drizzle with the olive oil and freshly cracked pepper, and place in the oven. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly and melted. Allow to cool for a few minutes before cutting.

Sundried Tomato and Ricotta Tart
Ingredients You Will Need:
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 egg yolks, beaten
½ bunch basil, leaves removed and roughly chopped
½ cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 9-inch pie crust
1 cup sun dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Combine the ricotta, egg yolks, basil, walnuts and salt and pepper. Pour into the bottom of the pie crust and top with the tomatoes. Cover in the parmesan and bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the filling has set and the crust is golden. Allow to cool before serving.

Heirloom Tomato Tart
Ingredients You Will Need:
1 9-inch pie crust
4 heirloom tomatoes, about 2 pounds total
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 cup goat cheese
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Pepper to taste

Bake the pie crust in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for about half an hour or until it is lightly golden. Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes into ¼-inch slices, and toss with the salt. Place in a colander, and allow to sit for about half an hour. Thoroughly rinse and pat dry with a clean dishcloth. Remove the pie from the oven, and stack the tomatoes evenly inside. Spread the top with the goat cheese, and turn on the broiler in your oven. Broil until the cheese is golden and bubbly, the tomatoes will still be essentially raw. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a jar and shake to combine. Pour over the tart and serve.