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I know that "real" tomatoes won't be ready for awhile around the Carolinas where we live ............
............ but I've been seeing some lovely ones at my local market lately and this week "the price was right"! Coming home with these beautiful, juicy treasures got my imagination rolling and I decided a tomato tart would be a perfect dinner.
I combined creamy ricotta and flavorful parmesan in a buttery crisp pastry shell topped simply with thinly sliced tomatoes, a bit more parmesan. After baking the tart until puffed and golden I drizzled it with olive oil and pesto and a scatter of fresh basil leaves was the perfect finishing touch.
We loved this dinner........... in fact we like it so much that I prepared it again tonight for guests. I added a layer of crumbled Italian sausage this time under the tomatoes - another winner! If you're feeling a bit of wanderlust, take the time to prepared this Herbed Ricotta Tomato Tart - who knows, the aroma and delicious flavor might just transform your familiar dining room into a classic Italian Trattoria!
Herbed Ricotta Tomato Tart
purchased or homemade pastry crust, I love this recipe for Paté Brisee
16 ounce container ricotta cheese
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 ½ cups freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling over the finished tart
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced and placed on several thicknesses of paper towels to drain
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablesoons basil pesto, combined with enough olive oil to make it easy to drizzle
fresh basil leaves
6 ounces cooked, crumbled Italian sausage, optional
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375˚F.
2. On a generously floured work surface, roll out pastry to fit a 8 or 9 inch tart pan. Gently roll pastry around rolling pin, dusting off any excess flour as you roll. Unroll onto the top of tart pan. Don't pull the pastry or the crust will shrink when baked. Lay pastry circle across tart pan and gently press pastry into bottom and up sides of pan. Roll rolling pin over top of pan to get rid of excess pastry. Place tart shell in freezer while preparing filling.
3. In a large bowl, combine ricotta and eggs. Stir or whisk to combine. Add parmesan cheese and sea salt and stir again to mix well.
4. Remove tart shell from freezer and in pour cheese mixture, smoothing top with an angled knife, If using sausage, scatter sausage over ricotta layer, gently tucking sausage slightly into cheese. Top with sliced tomatoes and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Careully drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil over top of tart and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
5. Bake until just set and slightly browned on top 20-30 minutes. Depending on your oven, the baking time may vary.
6. Remove tart from oven. Combine pesto and olive oil and drizzle over the top of the tart. Scatter with fresh basil leaves, if desired.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
The herbed ricotta and tomato tart sounds great. I'm sure it is good with the tomatoes that are available now but it will be outstanding with tomatoes from the garden this summer.
Paula {Salad in a Jar} says
This looks likes a special treat. Did you grow the basil yourself in your special boxes?
Paula {Salad in a Jar} says
This looks like a very special treat. Did you grow the basil in your special herb boxes?
Pola M says
Looks delicious!
www.you-made-that.com says
Oh Chris I wish I lived at your house and ate your beautiful food, your husband and family should feel special. Thanks for the sweet comment on my blog and the encouragement 🙂
Lacy @ NYCityEats says
This looks incredible! I would totally devour this on my own, especially the one with the Italian sausage layer. Amazing with the pesto on top mmmm...I can almost taste it right now! Delish!
Chatty Crone says
I don't have your email address but thank you for that sweet comment today about my post. I appreciate that.
I have pinned all your food it looks delish.
I would love to invite you to follow me!
Love, sandie
GLENDA CHILDERS says
It must be very fun to eat at your house.
Gloria says
what really beautiful tart and I love ricotta!!
Emilia says
That one looks delicious! Really!
Veronica Miller says
Lovely creation as always. I think I'd definitely add the Italian sausage!
Lenia says
A very tasteful tart,beautiful and aromatic!Great pics as always!Greetings from Greece,dear Chris!
Dining Alone says
With the sausage added I think my husband might even try this, it looks so fresh and delicious!
gobakeyourself says
This tart looks beautiful and has so many delicious ingredients which must work well together 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Jody and Stan says
Can't wait to try this recipe. What a perfect tart!
Jody
lena says
chris, all your bakes always look so colourful and presentable. i wish that i'm one of your guests! i must try ricotta one day.
The Café Sucré Farine says
Sandra, I'm thinking maybe I'll get a little freezer out in my garage, put a padlock on it and label it "Sandra" - would you come and visit me then? 🙂
Sandra says
What a beautiful dish, and we would surely add the Italian sausage. You've created another magazine cover presentation. Please add a couple of slices to the stash you're keep for me in the back of your freezer.
Tricia @ saving room for dessert says
This is the most beautiful tart I've ever seen! You are an artist. Can't wait for tomatoes 🙂
Kim says
As I said yesterday, when I saw a picture of this tart, it looks amazingly good! It's a great idea to add some sausages... But I, almost every time, prefer to keep it simple. Last summer I tried a raw version of it (you know when cherrie tomatoes are sugary and juicy) and it was AMAZING! I'm definitly going to try this one if I can find decent tomatoes!
Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers says
What a lovely tart! I love tomatos and there just starting to come into season here in CA. This weekend I plan on planting mine! I just have to be careful! Last year I planted 5 plants and my one plant got over 6'tall and wide. It took over the garden, so this year I'm looking for smaller ones! 🙂
Happier Than a Pig in Mud says
Definitely company worthy! It looks amazing and I agree that cooking "off season" tomatoes really helps bring out their flavor:@)
Hovkonditorn says
This is one perfect looking tart!
Ginny says
This would be so wonderful, sumptuous and beautiful for a party!!
Vicki Bensinger says
I've been seeing some beautiful tomatoes as well. I wonder if it's because our winter wasn't that harsh.
Your tart looks heavenly. I can taste the tomatoes and cheese against that buttery crust as you described it. Sounds heavenly!