Easy Summer Tomato and Mozzarella Tart

All those tomatoes – what a wonderful time of year!! I have been roasting basket after basket and storing away in the freezer for those colder days ahead.  I made this simple but delicious tart for a recent dinner party and it was a huge hit.  The dough comes together in a snap and is flavored with yummy basil and garlic. This is also a great do-ahead dish. You can reheat or serve at room temperature….enjoy and happy summer!!

Easy Summer Tomato and Mozzarella Tart

Ingredients:

For the dough:

1/3 cup basil leaves

2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick of unsalted butter (8 tablespoons),  chilled and cut into 8 pieces

3-5 tablespoons of ice cold water (as needed)

For the filling:

8-10 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced or shredded

Fresh tomatoes – any variety (I used round roma tomatoes)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Freshly grated Parmigiano (for sprinkling on top)

About 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling on top)

Fresh basil, minced (for sprinkling on top)

Equipment

1 10 inch tart pan with removable bottom

Directions:

1. Prepare the dough:  Put the basil and garlic in the bowl of a food processor.  Blend until finely chopped. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Add in the flour and salt and pulse to incorporate.  Add in the chilled bits of butter and pulse until mixture becomes pea-sized crumbs.  Drizzle in 3 tablespoons of the water and pulse to incorporate. Add one more tablespoon of water and pulse. Dough should come together to form a ball. If it does not, add in the remaining tablespoon of water and pulse until a ball forms.  Remove the dough. Flatten into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for at least one hour to rest.

2. Prepare the tart: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and transfer to a lightly floured surface.  Roll the dough out into a 12 inch circle. Using your rolling pin, wrap up the dough on the rolling pin and transfer to the tart pan. Place it over the tart pan and press it into the sides.  Trim any excess and use as filler to fill in any gaps on the sides.

3. Place parchment or aluminum foil loosely over the tart and fill bottom with pie weights. Bake in the pre-heated overn for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the pie weights and parchment or foil.  Return the tart shell to the oven to bake for 5 additional minutes. Remove from the oven. LOWER HEAT TO 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Layer the sliced or shredded mozzarella on the bottom of the tart pan.  Arrange the tomato slices on top in a single layer.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Dust with the freshly grated Parmigiano and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with basil.

5. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly.

6. Allow the tart to rest for at least 10 minutes to set.  Ready to serve! Enjoy!!

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