Happy 1st of July! Now it’s really summertime. The first tomatoes are ripe in the garden and, assuming we can stay ahead of the squirrels there will be more, but the first have to be for Summertime Tomato Tart. Yesterday my good friends Mary Jo and Maddie came over to gossip and cook. We got inspired to make a Tomato Tart that they could take home to share with out of town company. It looked so good and smelled so fantastic that I’m making another one this morning, after a quick run to the garden. It’s in the oven right now and will be just the best thing for lunch. As my friends discovered yesterday, I don’t really have a recipe since I’ve been making the same tart for years. I tried to pay attention to ingredients and measurements because everyone should be able to enjoy this southern delicacy. A homemade crust is really easy to make in the food processor (You’re Grown – Now You Can Cook pg. 63), but you can buy yours premade at any grocery store.
Basically good cheddar is a staple ingredient, but there is nothing wrong with experimenting with other cheeses. We like the consistency of Monterey Jack and the saltiness of Parmesan as tasty additions. After that it does get pretty southern- just mayonnaise, an egg, salt and pepper, and herbs of choice. Basil and chives are hard to beat in my opinion, but who could argue with dill and tarragon? This is about the easiest and most impressive – wait - I forgot delicious - recipe you can throw together. Tomato Tart is perfect for brunch, dinner and even as an appetizer. It delicious cold and at room temperature if you can make yourself wait that long. In fact, Tomato Tart is just plain perfect anytime. I’m just taking ours out of the oven right now and can’t wait for lunch? Hoping you have a very wonderful holiday weekend!
Ingredients
3 or 4 ripe tomatoes, sliced in thick slices (optional: cherry tomatoes to fill gaps)
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped (reserve a little for the top)
1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1 egg
1/3 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated (plus a little more for sprinkling on top)
1/3 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 tsp garlic salt
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 unbaked piecrust
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine basil, chives, mayonnaise, egg, cheeses, salt, and pepper.
Put piecrust in a pie pan.
Fill crust with filling, and top with tomatoes. Sprinkle with additional basil and cheddar.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
Cool at least 20 minutes before serving.
