Mathilde's Tomato Tart
Tomato Tart
A summery French-style tomato tart with a buttery pastry crust, Dijon mustard, basil-parsley herb paste, hard cheese, and deeply roasted ripe tomatoes.
Mathilde's tomato tart is built around the best tomatoes you can find, set into a crisp homemade pâte brisée with just enough cheese, mustard, and herbs to support them. The filling is simple, but each layer matters: Dijon sharpens the base, hard cheese adds savoriness, and the basil-parsley paste keeps the tart fresh rather than heavy.
The method takes a little time because the crust is chilled, blind-baked, and then baked again with the tomatoes. That extra handling keeps the base flaky instead of soggy, which is especially important when ripe summer tomatoes are involved. Salting and blotting the slices before they go into the tart gives you a cleaner roast and a better set.
Use heirloom tomatoes if they are abundant, but any deeply ripe field-grown tomato works well. Cherry or cocktail tomatoes can also be used when larger tomatoes are not in season; halve or slice them and pack them closely because they shrink as they bake.
Serve the tart warm or at room temperature with a green salad, a shaved fennel salad, or a simple vinaigrette-dressed side. Leftovers keep well and make an excellent lunch, especially after the flavors have settled overnight.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
-
1
Make the crust dough by pulsing the flour, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and cold butter in a food processor until the butter is broken into coarse crumbs.
-
2
Add the egg and cold water, then pulse just until the dough begins to come together. Turn it onto parchment, press into a disk, cover with a second sheet of parchment, and roll to an 11-inch round.
-
3
Slide the rolled dough onto a tray and freeze for 10 minutes, until firm but still bendable. Fit it into a 9 1/2-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, trim the edges, prick the base with a fork, and freeze for 20 minutes.
-
4
Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center. Set the tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet, line the crust with parchment, add pie weights, dried beans, or rice, and bake for 20 minutes.
-
5
Remove the parchment and weights. Patch any cracks with chilled dough scraps if needed, then bake the shell for 5 minutes more. Let the crust cool while you prepare the filling.
-
6
Arrange the tomato slices on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle them lightly with the remaining kosher salt. Let them stand while the crust bakes, then blot the tops with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
-
7
Pulse the garlic, basil, parsley, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the olive oil and pulse, scraping the bowl as needed, until the herbs form a spreadable paste.
-
8
Spread the Dijon mustard in a thin layer over the cooled crust. Scatter the cheese over it, dollop on the herb paste, and spread it gently into an even layer.
-
9
Arrange the tomato slices over the tart in overlapping circles, cutting smaller pieces to fill gaps. Brush the tomatoes lightly with olive oil and season with black pepper.
-
10
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the tomatoes are deeply roasted and softened and the crust is golden. Cool slightly before slicing and serve warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour:1 3/4 cups
- Granulated Sugar:1/2 tsp
- Kosher Salt, plus more for tomatoes:1 tsp
- Cold Unsalted Butter, cut into 1-inch pieces:1/2 cup
- Large Egg:1
- Cold Water:1 tbsp
- Large Ripe Tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick:3
- Small Garlic Clove:1
- Fresh Basil Leaves, loosely packed:1 cup
- Fresh Parsley Leaves, loosely packed:2 cups
- Olive Oil, plus more for brushing:2 tbsp
- Smooth Dijon Mustard:1 tbsp
- Hard Cheese, thinly sliced or coarsely grated:2 oz
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper:to taste
Tips & Notes
- Aged provolone, Gruyère, Comté, cheddar, Asiago, pecorino, or Drunken Goat all work; choose a cheese with enough flavor to stand up to the tomatoes.
- If using puff pastry instead of homemade crust, bake it flat and well chilled so it stays crisp under the filling.
- The dough can be made a few days ahead and refrigerated, and the blind-baked crust can be prepared one day before filling.
- Store finished tart leftovers in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days and rewarm gently or serve at room temperature.
