Tomato Tart with Rye Crust
Tomato Tart with Rye Crust
by: Abbey Franklin
It is unmistakably fall now but we’re still thinking of this summer tart Abbey made a few weeks back. She replicated the crust from Anisette’s Jam Tart with Rye Crust recipe in “Southern Ground” but replaced the jam filling with an intoxicating mixture of cheeses topped with roast tomato. After testing the crust with and without the sugar (a listed ingredient in the book), we concluded that both do work but we prefer to nix the sugar in this savory version. If you can get your hands on some quality tomatoes right now, we can’t recommend this recipe enough. The combination of rye, cheese, tomato, and aromatic seasonings is one you’ll not soon forget. Enjoy and happy baking!
yield : 1 (8-inch) Tart, and 3 (3 ½-inch) Little Tarts
Ingredients:
For the crust
220 g (2 ¼ cups) light rye flour
⅛ tsp fine sea salt for crust
113 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
1 egg
(½ for rye crust) Orange zest from a medium orange
For the filling
(½ for filling) Orange zest from a medium orange
3 Large Tomatoes
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 tbsp basil (2 tbsp minced +1 tbsp additional for garnish at the end)
2 ½ tbsp thyme, minced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
¾ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
2 tbsp crème fraîche
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400℉
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the butter and use a pastry blender to cut into the dry ingredients, (optional: you can also freeze the butter ahead of time and grate it in). Mix until it resembles a coarse meal.
Make a well in the center of the mixture. Place the egg and ½ amount of orange zest in the well and use a fork to gradually incorporate the flour and combine all the ingredients. The dough will be crumbly, but will come together as you gather it to form the disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to two days.
Slice tomatoes about ½ inch thickness. Place tomatoes on a paper towel lined baking sheet. Pat dry the tomatoes and get as much moisture out.
In a small mixing bowl, prep the oil and herb mixture. Combine olive oil, 2 tbsp thyme, 2 tbsp basil, garlic, ¼ tsp salt and pepper to taste. Stir.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the tomatoes with a little room from one another. Brush the tomatoes with the oil and herb mixture. Bake for 25 minutes.
Lower oven temperature to 375℉
On a lightly floured work surface or a sheet of parchment paper, roll out the larger disk of dough to a 9-inch round. Transfer the dough to an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, gently pressing it into the corners, and prick with a fork. You will have some leftover dough (we made three 3 ½-inch small tarts with the extras, you can use any small dish you have). Freeze the shell(s) for 15 minutes.
Prepare cheese filling by combining the creme fraǐche, gruyere cheese, parmesan cheese, orange zest, ½ tbsp minced thyme, and a dash of salt and pepper. Mix with a fork and set aside.
Remove the tart shell from the freezer and place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the crust, then fill with baking beads or any dried beans/rice if you have (we used dried garbanzo beans).
Bake for 15 minutes, then take out beads and bake for another 10 minutes. Let cool on a drying rack for 15-20 minutes.
Spread cheese filling evenly on top of the crust and layer tomatoes, overlapping one another a little bit. Bake at 375℉ for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. If you are also making small tarts in addition, cook 5 minutes less at this step.
Let cool for about 20-25 minutes, remove the tart pan and garnish with the extra basil. Cut into slices and enjoy!
Photo courtesy of Abbey Franklin