Breakfast is such a special time at the inn. Every season brings different recipes and for us…… summer time brings this delicious tomato tart when we can harvest the tomatoes and basil fresh from our inn’s garden. We have so many tomatoes in our garden that we give them away to family and friends, have them every night for dinner, garnish our savory plates with fresh tomatoes and basil and at least once a week serve our delicious Tomato Tart.
A follower just asked us for the recipe and as always, we love to share anything delicious! Check out our Instagram page as we are always posting fun new pictures of the inn, Cape Cod, our travels and our delicious food.
- 2 sheets puff pastry dough
- 1¼ cups ricotta cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs (one for the wash)
- 3 Tablespoons minced basil, plus extra for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste (we used ¼ teaspoon of each)
- ⅛ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
- 4 large ripe tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Preheat oven to 375. Roll the pastry dough on a floured surface to be a 16 X 11 inch rectangle and about ⅛ inches thick. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes. In a bowl mix the ricotta, the parmesan cheese, 1 egg, 3 Tablespoons minced basil, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and the nutmeg. Set aside. Using a serrated knife, slice the tomatoes into slices about ½ thick. Shake out the majority of the seeds. Place on paper towel to drain briefly. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator. Trim the rough edges of the pastry. Using the tip of a sharp knife, score a 1 inch border inside the edges of the pastry, taking care not to cut through the pastry. Score the outside of the border with diagonal marks about 1 inch apart. Pierce the inside of the border with a fork. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly inside the border, then top with tomato slices. Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and filling. In a small bowl beat the remaining egg. Lightly brush the pastry border with the egg wash. Bake until the pastry border has risen and is golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Cut the pastry into rectangle prices. sprinkle with chopped basil and serve warm. We like to drizzle a balsamic reduction sauce around the plate.
Hard to believe Labor Day is just around the corner- Happy Labor Day weekend everyone from all of us at the Captain Freeman Inn!
Bon Appetit!
When do you put the cheese on?
Hi Sue, there are actually two answers to your question- we have made it both ways. If you like your crust to be extra crispy you can get your pastry prepared on a cookie sheet (slashing the dough border with a knife and using a fork to pierce the center), use a pastry brush to egg wash the border and then place a sheet of parchment paper in the center and weight it down with beans or baking weights. Bake the pastry until it is lightly browned. Then remove from the oven, spread the cheese, add the tomatoes and follow the recipe.
As an alternate way that’s a little easier and what we described in this recipe- spread the cheese mixture directly on the unbaked pastry that has been pierced with a knife and fork and bake one time.
Hope that helps, Donna