I wrote about this tomato tart some years ago … & in the meantime I made a lot of tarts similar to this very 1st approach. So now I like to re-write the recipe based on my experiences so far.
Additionally … at the moment I like quick & dirty (aka easy!) dishes for my life in Southern France. One of my experiences is – at the moment – that a small kitchen w/ a limited set of kitchen appliances restricts the possibilities for cooking & baking. (More about this trouble later on the blog!) So let’s stay w/ simple solutions for now!
A tomato tart – resp. any savory tart – isn’t finger food although it’s perfect for nibbling. It may pass for a complete meal although merely a simple one. A tart is ready to be eaten straight from the oven, after having cooled off a little (or a little more) or next day after having stayed overnight in the fridge – w/ or w/o re-heating.
So how to prepare such an all-rounder?
For a start: What do we need?
There aren’t so many ingredients:
- pastry
- eggs
- crème fraîche
- grated Gruyère
- dried herbs of Provence
- tomato pesto
- fresh tomatoes.
Then: How to proceed?
We start w/ an empty tart pan slightly greased w/ some drops of olive oil – & of course w/ preheating the oven to 160° C fan.
I used a store-bought ready-to-use pastry which I only had to fit into the tart pan.
You may also use a store-bought flour mix which you’ll only need to mix with warm water, to knead it & to roll it into a flat circle which should cover the tart pan. Of course you may also start from scratch when there is enough time …
Mix eggs & crème fraîche w/ an egg whip. Add salt & pepper. Finally add the grated Gruyère cheese – I always like to buy a piece of Gruyère cheese & grate it by myself. It’s a quick job – rather big shavings are fine because it’ll easily melt away.
Add the dried herbs of Provence … If you like you may also add chopped chives or chopped basil to the egg mix – or any fresh Mediterranean herbs hanging out on your window sill.
I worked w/ small colored tomatoes & cut them into rather thin slices.
Also I bought a jar of tomato pesto in my trusted food store. The pesto is basically a mix of crushed tomatoes, dried tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, onions, herbs & Parmigiano Reggiano. (Of course you may also create your own tomato pesto … Combine ripe tomatoes & lots of Mediterranean herbs & lots of garlic … cook it … until a rather thick mess comes out. Always add some Italian (or French) cheese.)
Just distribute the tomato pesto evenly over the pastry.
Then spoon carefully the eggs-crème fraîche-Gruyère mix over the pesto. The mix is „very“ fluid! (The red pesto oil forces its way to the surface – just ignore it!)
Finally cover the surface carefully with the tomato slices. Carefully: the slices shall stay visibly on top!
Then put the pan in the preheated oven for about 40 min.
… and this is the tomato tart!
Enjoy!
- 1 quiche pastry
- some drops of olive oil
- 150 g crème fraîche
- 3-4 eggs
- 1 tsp herbs of Provence (dried)
- 50 g Gruyere (grated)
- 190 g tomato pesto (1 jar / store-bought & ready-to-use)
- about 15 small red & yellow tomatoes
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- tart / quiche pan (Ø 28 cm)
- egg whip
- Preheat the oven (160° C fan).
- Prepare the pastry as defined & roll out as thin as possible.
- Add some drops of olive oil to the pan & distribute evenly.
- Transfer the pastry into the pan, press slightly around the edge & cut off all overhanging pastry.
- Cut the tomatoes in thin slices.
- Grate the Gruyère (roughly) – if not already grated when bought.
- Mix the eggs with the creme fraiche w/ an egg whip & add salt & pepper.
- Add the herbs of Provence & the grated Gruyère – mix w/ a spoon.
- Spoon the tomato pesto onto the pastry & distribute evenly.
- Spoon the egg mix carefully onto the pesto.
- Scatter the tomato slices carefully on top.
- Put the tomato tart in the preheated oven for about 40 min.
