Savory Tomato, Roasted Garlic and Mozzarella Tart
Mr. Wonderful and I are on our own since we’ve been empty nested and we’ve been able to take our time with dinner and experiment with a few recipes we’ve been meaning to try.
Last night we decided to try a savory tart we’d seen recently.using summer fresh tomatoes. And ohhhhh…..this is so good!
I will add the pie crust recipe to the printable recipe, or you can buy one of those pre-rolled pie crusts in the refrigeratored section of your grocery store. Either way, the beauty of these tarts is – they need to look rustic, like an Italian crostata. Follow along with me as I show you how easy these are to make.
To make this really quickly – use a store bought pie crust, the kind you just unroll and they come two in a box.
You will also need three medium sized tomatoes or you could probably use 4 roma tomatoes, and some fresh mozzarella.
I found this kind that is even pre-sliced so you can literally whip this baby out in five minutes and pop it in the oven.
If you have guests, they’ll think you are so cool and never realize you did this quickly.
Slice the tomatoes thinly and begin overlapping the tomatoes and cheese in a circle leaving about an inch or so at the edges to fold up and be the crust.
Once your outside ring is finished, work on the center. Make a small ring inside your first ring, just layering both to make it look pretty.
Now, take 3-4 clove of garlic and slice it up in thin slices. Take the pieces and tuck them into various parts of the tomatoes and cheese. I love roasted garlic, so I made sure to get a piece in every bite.
Now begin folding up little pieces of your outside edge. Continue overlapping the last fold that you made. Press firmly, almost pinching the dough so that it sticks. Continue folding and pressing all the way around the tart. Remember, it’s not a contest for perfection. Rustic I say people, RUSTIC looks awesome!
Then brush the entire thing with olive oil, crust and all.
Sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
I baked mine on a Silpat sheet but you could also use parchment paper. Bake them at 350º for 15 minutes, then rotate your pan 180º and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the crust begins to turn a lovely golden color, the cheese is nice and melty and the tomatoes are beginning to soften and caramelize.
At this point, your kitchen will smell so amazing, you won’t want to wait for them to cool off. The smells of roasted garlic , tomato and pie crust should be made as a candle smell. It’s incredible!
Remove your tart from the oven and drizzle some basil pesto right over top.
Slice it with a pizza cutter.
And savor each delicious bite.
You can also do a mini version for individual tarts. I used a pot lid to make about 7 inch circles as a cutter.
Mr. Wonderful was impressed at my creativity on this.
He’s usually the creative idea one, not me.
If you’re using the small tarts, choose cherry or grape tomatoes and bocconcini, or small little balls of mozzerella, usually found in the specialty cheese section of your market.
Aren’t they cute?
Mr. Wonderful took one bite, smiled and closed his eyes in satisfaction. I think he mumbled something about “this is a keeper” or something…
I hope you love this savory summer tart as much as we did. We’re making it again tonight!
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening, cold
- 12 tablespoons butter, cold and cubed
- ¼ cup to ½ cup ice water
- 1 9-inch pie crust
- 3 medium-sized tomatoes
- Fresh Mozzarella Cheese - one large ball
- 3-4 garlic cloves, sliced
- Olive oil for brushing
- salt & pepper to taste
- Optional: basil pesto or 8-10 basil leaves to garnish
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar.
- Add the shortening and break it up with your hands as you start to coat it all up with the flour. Add the cold butter cubes and work it into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter.
- Work it quickly, so the butter doesn't get too soft, until the mixture is crumbly, like very coarse cornmeal.
- Add the ice water, a little at a time, until the mixture comes together forming a dough.
- Bring the dough together into a ball.
- When it comes together stop working it otherwise the dough will get over-worked and tough. Divide the dough in half and flatten it slightly to form a disk shape.
- Wrap each disk in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- On a floured surface roll each disk out into a 10 to 11-inch circle to make a 9-inch pie.
- Preheat oven to 350º.
- Using one pie crust, and leaving a 1 to 1 ½ inch margin at the edge -begin layering sliced tomatoes and cheese, alternating every other one with tomato, cheese, etc.
- Fold up the margin of crust over top of the tomatoes and cheese, pinching to hold together (like pleats).
- Tuck in garlic slices so there’s one in each bite.
- Brush all with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake at 350º for 15 minutes then rotate pan 180º and bake an additional 15 minutes or until crust is nicely browned.
- Optional – drizzle with pesto and/or shredded basil.
Here are some more great recipes you could make for Labor Day weekend submitted by great bloggers for Food Network’s Summer Soiree!
The Lemon Bowl: Lemon Garlic Chicken Kabobs
Bacon and Souffle: Roasted Shrimp Orzo
The Hungry Traveler: Ginger Vanilla Fruit Salad
Homemade Delish: Festive Champagne Punch
Dishin & Dishes: Savory Tomato, Roasted Garlic and Mozzarella Tart
Creative Culinary: Zucchini and Cream Cheese Casserole
TasteBook: Apple-Pecan Chicken Salad
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Batter Fried Pepper with Tzatziki Sauce
Healthy Eats: 6 Fall-Forward Recipes for Your Labor Day Celebration
Domesticate Me: Lobster Avocado Toast
Taste with the Eyes: “Margarita” Salmon Burger with Tequila, Lime, and Hatch Chiles
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Grilled Shrimp & Peaches with Arugula Pesto
Red or Green: Spicy Greek Chickpea Spread
The Heritage Cook: Smoked Chicken Salad (Gluten-Free)
The Mom 100: Yogurt Berry Pops
FN Dish: The Last Hurrah: Grill Absolutely Everything on Labor Day
