Beautiful heirloom tomatoes are one of the many reasons that I love summer. My favorite way to enjoy them – tomato salad! (check out my tomato salad with burrata and nectarine.) Here is a more sophisticated way to plate (tomato stack with burrata) if I was to serve it to individual dinner guests vs. family style. I’ve also been obsessed with this very simple Pesto Trapanese for a quick summer time lunch or dinner. And definitely save enough tomato from the garden to make a few jars of tomato paste.

Today I’m writing about another way to enjoy these beautiful summer tomatoes: a juicy, savory, flaky, and buttery tomato tart. It’s simple to put it together, and a great dish to make for summer barbecues and potlucks. I’ve made this tart in different sizes, from large rectangular baking pan size to personal-sized galettes (with cherry tomatoes), the baking time is about the same and it’s such a visual stunner if you use multi-color heirloom tomatoes. I also have store-bought pie crusts ready to go in the freezer all the time, it’s a great time saver for when I am busy. But if you have some time, make your own pie crusts, it’s worth it!

Heirloom Tomato Tart

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 package store-bought pie crusts (two crusts), let thawed if frozen
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (optional)
• 8oz (~ 2 cups) assorted shredded cheeses  (I used some mozzarella, Gruyere, and Parmesan. Or just buy a bag of shredded Italian Blend)
• ~2 lbs of heirloom tomatoes
• Egg wash: 1 egg + splash of milk or cream
• salt and pepper
• handful of basil leaves, chiffonade

Directions

1. Thinly slice the tomatoes horizontally, place slices over paper towels or a clean kitchen towel, season with salt and pepper generously. Let rest for 15 minutes to draw out some moisture.
2. In a skillet, saute onion with olive oil and butter over medium-low heat, stir frequently to prevent burning. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are soft and caramelized. Let cool.
3. Lightly flour your work surface, and spray or lightly butter a quarter sheet pan.
4. Knead and form both pie crusts together back into a ball, then roll it out thinly to fit over the quarter sheet pan. Press down to all the edges and corners and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 450F while waiting for the pie crust to chill.
6. To assemble: Sprinkle the cheese in an even layer on the pie crust, then the onions and garlic slices, then arrange the tomato slices on top.
7. Tuck in the crusts and form a nice raised edge all around, and brush the edges with the egg wash. Bake for 18-20 minutes until the crusts are nice and golden brown and the juices are bubbling.
8. Once done, allow the tart to rest for 15 minutes on a cooling rack. With the help of a large spatula, remove the tart from pan onto a cutting board. Cut into the squares and sprinkle with chiffonade basil. Enjoy!

All the beautiful colors.

Time to dig in!