This recipe is not hard to make, but it takes time since the dough really needs to chill overnight for at least 12 hours. Luckily, the dough can be made 2 days ahead. I only make this recipe in the summer when the tomatoes are at their freshest and juiciest. I love to use heirloom tomatoes if I can find them, along with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. I hope you all have a great weekend and are staying cool in these hot and humid summer days!
KINGSMILL REHEARSAL DINNER MENU SERIES
Welcome to my Kingsmill Rehearsal Dinner Menu series inspired by the fictional wedding celebration in my two new stories, A Room with a Groom (from Save the Date Anthology) and Luke’s Last Love Kiss (from Finding Forever Anthology). This blog series brings the charm of small-town Kingsmill to your summer table.
Both love stories unfold in the heart of the Virginia mountains, and each features a special rehearsal dinner held near the town’s historic 18th-century mill, along the Shenandoah River. For the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing the seasonal recipes from that riverside celebration and today’s recipe is one of my all-time summer favorites: Tomato Tart
Tomato Tart
This recipe takes some extra time to prepare since the dough really needs to chill in the refrigerator overnight. You can chill it for 2 hours minimum, but the extra time makes a big difference to how fluffy the dough is. Otherwise, this is an easy dish to put together and it's perfect for this time of year when the tomatoes are the freshest and juiciest.
Ingredients
CHEDDAR CHEESE PASTRY
- 2 ½ cups flour plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2/3 cup salted butter
- 2 ounces cheddar cheese grated
WALNUT PESTO
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup walnuts chopped
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ounce Parmesan grated
- 1 ounce Pecorino Romano grated
- flaky sea salt to taste
TOMATO TART
- 1 disc cheddar cheese puff pastry from above
- 2 large tomatoes sliced
- 3.5 ounces ricotta
- 2 Tablespoons walnut pesto from above
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- olive oil for drizzling
- 1 beaten egg for egg wash
- Dried basil to taste
- Dried oregano to taste
Instructions
Cheddar Cheese Pastry
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Wash a large metal bowl and a box grater. Dry well. Place the bowl, grater, and the butter in the freezer for 20 minutes.
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Take out the bowl, grater and butter from the freezer. In the bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Then grate the butter into the flour and, using your fingers, rub the butter Ito the flour until the mixture looks like small peas.
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In the center of the flour/butter mixture, add the sour cream and cheddar cheese. Use a fork to mix it all together until the dough is moist. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and gently knead the dough a few times and form into a disk. Cover the disc with plastic and chill in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight. Overnight is better.
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Take the dough out of the fridge and place on a lightly floured counter. Roll out the dough until it is a rectangle about 3/4" thick. Then fold the dough into thirds, turn the dough clockwise, and roll it out again until it's a 3/4" thick rectangle. Repeat this at least 6 times, always moving clockwise, until you have many layers and the dough is really smooth.
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Cut the finished dough in half, cover each in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge until using for up to 2 days. It can also store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Walnut Pesto
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In a food processor, process the walnuts, cloves, and a pinch of salt until it is kind of chunky, Then add in the basil leaves. Process while slowly adding in the olive oil until it is smooth.
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In a medium size bowl, stir together the Parmesan and Pecorino and Romano cheeses with the salt. Stir in the pesto and mix until well blended. Set aside.
Tomato Tart
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Preheat the oven to 350℉. Lightly grease a 9" deep dish pie plate.
Wash and slice the tomatoes, placing them on a baking sheet lined with lots of paper towels. Sprinkle salt over the tomatoes and let them rest for 10 minutes. This will release excess moisture.
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In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese and pesto until combined.
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Using one disc of dough, roll it out on a lightly floured counter with a rolling pin. Roll the dough into a circle that is about 1 1/2" thick and 10" in diameter. Lay the dough into the pie plate and leave the edges hanging off for now.
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Spread the ricotta pesto mixture over the bottom of the pastry. Place the tomato slices over the cheese, layering as you please, and sprinkle the top with a pinch of salt, pepper, dried basil, dried oregano and a bit of olive oil drizzled over top. Fold the extra dough edges in for a more rustic tart, or flute the edges of the dough.
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Use the egg wash over the outer edges of the tart and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the dough is golden and crispy and the cheese is lightly bubbling in the center.
Let the tart rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.
