Do not let the summer end with out trying this recipe for Tomato Basil Tart. I wait all year long to make this with vine-ripened tomatoes and August’s are the best! A nice lunch or a light supper with a salad, this is perfect for entertaining because it tastes as good as it looks!
Tomatoes are as nutritious as they are delicious. They are full of potassium, vitamin K and lycopene, which is an antioxidant important to bone heath. Though there are hundreds of varieties of tomatoes, I like to use plum tomatoes for this recipe. Plum tomatoes are less seedy and juicy and their firmness holds up to baking better than other types.
Besides using the best tomatoes you can get (think farm stand or a neighbor’s garden), go all out when you make this tart and use fresh basil and cheeses too. Nothing beats the flavor of fresh herbs or cheese you shred yourself.
Making Tomato Basil Tart
Though there are few steps, this really couldn’t be simpler to prepare. You’ll need one pie crust; either make your own or get a ready to roll out store-bought one. (Here is where you can cheat…since you’ll be using so many fresh, seasonal ingredients, no one will ever know the crust isn’t homemade!) Pre-bake the crust in a 9″ pie plate according to directions. Remove from oven, sprinkle with a 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, and allow to cool.
Next, slice 4 or 5 plum tomatoes into wedges and allow to drain on paper towels. Arrange them inside the crust.
Then, in a food processor, combine a cup of fresh basil and 4 cloves of garlic to form a paste. Sprinkle this over the tomatoes (and try not to faint when you smell this amazingness!)
Finally, in a medium mixing bowl, combine a 1/2 cup of mayo, a cup of mozzarella and a 1/4 cup of parmesan. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Spread the mixture evenly over the top and return to the oven at 375° F. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the tart is golden and bubbly.
Enjoy! If you decide to give this recipe a try (and I hope you do because it so yummy!) then snap a pic and share with me @thepreservesproject!
- 1 - 9" pie crust
- 1½ c. mozzarella cheese, divided
- 4-5 plum tomatoes
- 1 c. fresh basil
- 4 cloves garlic
- ½ c. mayo
- ¼ c. parmesan
- salt and pepper
- Pre-bake crust in a 9" pie plate according to directions.
- Remove from oven, sprinkle with a ½ c. of mozzarella cheese, and allow to cool.
- Slice plum tomatoes into wedges and allow to drain on paper towels.
- Arrange tomatoes inside the crust.
- In a food processor, place basil and 4 garlic; pulse to combine. Sprinkle over the tomatoes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add mayo, remaining 1 c. mozzarella and parmesan. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Spread the mixture evenly over the top and return to the oven at 375° F.
- Bake for about 35 minutes or until the tart is golden and bubbly.
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