The Humble French Tomato Tart

Photo by Rob Robitaille

I fell in love with the tomato tart last year during the height of the tomato season.  Garden tomatoes are fantastic, but their season is way to short, which is why we eat tomatoes until we don't want to see them again for a long time.  Last week apparently marked the end of a "long time" and I started pining for the beloved tomato once again.  Fortunately, there happens to be an outfit in my town that grows hydroponic tomatoes all year long, so they are pretty easy to come by.  Every grocery store in town has piles of these gems, still on the vine.  There are many ways to prepare fresh tomatoes, but on a cold, gray Minnesota winter day, I was in the mood for something comforting.  Fortunately, we were having dinner guests and I needed a starter course.  Perfect.

 This thing is so simple, it barely can be called a recipe, but like I said before, sometimes the simple things are the best.  When I say simple, I am assuming that you don't plan to make your own puff pastry.  Personally, I hate working with dough, and avoid it as much as possible.  I hope you give this one a try.  It is great as part of a meal, or as a light lunch all on its own.  Enjoy.

French Tomato Tart

• 2-3 tomatoes
• 1 c. grated Gruyère cheese
• 1 sheet of puff pastry
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 375 F.  Slice your tomatoes fairly thin, then arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.  Place a layer of paper towel on top; this will remove some of the excess moisture. In the meantime, roll out your puff pastry sheet so that it fits into a tart pan.  Push it into the tart pan to remove any air gaps and let the excess hang over the pan.  Then take your rolling pin and roll it across the top of the tart pan to trim the dough.  Next, evenly sprinkle your grated Gruyère in the pan and gently press it down.  Now, arrange your tomatoes on top in what ever cool pattern you like.  Season with a bit of salt and pepper, if you wish, and place it in the oven.  Bake for about 40 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.  This can be served hot or at room temperature.