It’s the peak of tomato season in Seattle–the plants are covered with the most beautiful shades of green, orange, yellow, red, and burgundy. We are canning tomatoes, drying tomatoes, making salsa, carrying baskets of tomatoes to neighbors, concocting tomato recipes, and of course eating cherry tomatoes like they’re potato chips. Last night I made this tart–a perfect showcase for your favorite heirlooms. Tasty, pretty, and super-easy. It also looks much more impressive than it really is, making a great quick dinner for guests.
Heirloom Tomato Tart
1. Preheat oven to 450. Toss 2 cups of course fresh bread crumbs (sourdough is nice) with 1/4 cup olive oil. Press evenly into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
2. In a bowl, which a cup of whole milk ricotta with 1/2 cup grated parmesan, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons of chopped basil, and season generously with course/kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Spread this over the crust.
3. Thinly slice 1 1/2 pounds of tomatoes–I used mixed Striped German, Japanese Truffle, and San Marzano. Use what you have and love! Arrange them on top of the tart, brush with olive oil, then bake until the tomatoes are almost dry, about 35-45 minutes. Let cool, then unmold.
The tart can be served warm, but is also delicious at room temperature. Side with a garden salad for the perfect late summer meal!
This is the first year I grew the incredible, open-pollinated Striped German tomato. It's as gorgeous inside as it is outside, swirling with orange and red. Holds together nicely, and just the right amount of sweetness. I'll definitely grow this one again next year!
Enjoy! And if you have a favorite recipe for beautiful summer tomatoes, please share!
Birdsong // Aug 30, 2009 at 7:37 PM
I have been so impressed with the flavors and variety available from heirloom tomatoes that I will probably never look back and grow the modern ones again! Great recipe that I am looking forward to trying.
Tim // Aug 31, 2009 at 4:28 AM
Great recipe and a beautiful tomato! Wow!
I stumbled across a great recipe on instructibles and have since found a better version on Paula Dean’s website. It is for tomato pie and you gotta give it a try. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/tomato-pie-recipe/index.html
Sonja Jernstrom // Sep 1, 2009 at 8:06 AM
What a beautiful creation. I haven’t yet come to grips with the fact that my husband doesn’t eat tomatoes; it’s one of his (very) few failings! Perhaps something like this will tempt him over to the dark side.
Lilly // Sep 1, 2009 at 9:06 PM
Lyanda, I made this tonight, and, wow, what rave reviews!:) Thank you so very much. Any more recipes would be happily welcomed. Thank you!
ann copeland // Sep 2, 2009 at 3:01 PM
A bit of tomato trivia: “In 1887 our country’s tariff laws stated that there was a duty to be paid on vegetables, but not on fruit. In May 1893, a decision was made by the U.S. Supreme Court that tomatoes were a vegetable–so the tariff could be collected. The court based their decision on a common definition that categorizes produce by the way it is used, rather than its botanical definition.”
Thanks to Steve Michaud in Life Source Natural Foods Newslette, Salem, Oregon.
Fruit or vegetable, the tomato tart looks yummy!
Ann Copeland