Last summer in Paris, my good friend and talented cook, Marie Claire, told me about a tomato tart she had recently made while on vacation in the South of France. A beloved family recipe, this savory tart was a dish her mother, Suzanne, had prepared for her during her childhood in Provence. My French friend showed me photos of the dish and shared the recipe, but somehow I didn’t get around to trying it. This year, soon after we arrived in the French capital, I wasted little time before asking if she would prepare the tart with me.

To make it, we used purchased puff pastry for the crust, and then sautéed sliced onions and diced tomatoes until softened and well melded. The filling, scented with herbes de Provence and garlic, was spread in the tart shell, then covered with sliced tomatoes and a sprinkling of Gruyère cheese.

I used vine-ripened tomatoes with great results, but as local summer tomatoes arrive, take advantage of those. This picture-perfect tart is as delicious warm as it is at room temperature. Serve it as an opener for a summer supper, or add a salad to make it the centerpiece of a lunch or picnic.

 

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Suzanne’s Provencal Tomato Tart

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, about 9 inches square and 1/8 in thick (See note.)
1 1 /2 to 1 3/4 lbs ripe tomatoes (See note.)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 tbsp smashed and chopped garlic
2 tsp Herbes de Provence
1 tsp dried thyme
3/4 tsp kosher salt
Generous 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper plus 1/8 tsp more if needed
1/2 cup grated Gruyère
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano Reggiano
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

1.Arrange a rack at the lowest position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Have ready a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

2. Roll the puff pastry sheet into a thin 10 1/2 inch square, carefully drape over the rolling pin, and place in the tart pan. Press the dough against the bottom and up the sides. Trim the overhanging dough to 1/2 to 3/4 inches. Fold overhanging dough in and press to form double thick sides. Prick the bottom all over with the tines of a fork. Place the tart shell, uncovered, in the freezer for 30 minutes. Retain oven temperature.

3. Meanwhile stem and halve (horizontally) 3 or more tomatoes and scoop out and discard the seeds. Then cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch dice to yield 2 cups. Save remaining tomatoes to slice for the topping.

4. Heat oil in a medium, heavy skillet over medium heat. When hot add onions and cook, stirring occasionally until softened and translucent, and just lightly browned but not caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes, herbes de Provence, dried thyme, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir with a wooden spoon pressing down and smashing the tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have softened and melded into the onions, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and season mixture with more salt and up to 1/8 teaspoon extra cayenne, if desired. Cool 5 minutes.

5. Remove tart pan from the freezer and spread the filling in an even layer in it. Slice remaining tomatoes 1/4 inch thick, and arrange slightly overlapping on top of the filling. Sprinkle tomatoes with Gruyère and Parmesan and then with fresh thyme.

6. Place tart on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is deep golden and the cheese has melted, 25-30 minutes or longer.

7. Remove and cool tart 10 to15 minutes. Remove the sides of the tart pan. Cut into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature. (The tart can rest at room temperature for up to 2 hours.) Serves 6 to 8.

Notes:

A 17.3 ounce package of Pepperidge Farm puff pastry contains two 9-inch square sheets. Defrost the puff pastry in the package overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 30 minutes to one hour. The dough should still be very well chilled before you roll it out.

In early summer, I use bright red vine-ripened tomatoes available at most groceries, but when local summer tomatoes come in season, they are delicious in this tart.

Copyright Betty Rosbottom 2016