Quick Tomato And Basil Tart Recipes

Steps:

• Roll pastry to fit a 9-in. tart pan or pie plate; place in pan. Do not prick. Line pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. , Bake at 450° for 5 minutes. Remove foil; bake 8 minutes more. Remove from the oven. Reduce heat to 375°. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella over the hot crust. , Cut each tomato into eight wedges; remove seeds. Arrange over cheese. , In a food processor, process the basil and garlic until coarsely chopped; sprinkle over tomatoes. , Combine mayonnaise, Parmesan, pepper and the remaining mozzarella; spoon over basil. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is browned and bubbly, 20-25 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place the tomatoes in the skillet with the vegetable oil, salt and pepper, and honey or sugar. Arrange together as tightly as possible. Sprinkle the tomatoes with the bread crumbs - this will soak up some of the juice which come out of the tomatoes during cooking. On a well-floured counter, roll out a circle of puff pastry the same size as the top of the skillet. Place the puff pastry over the tomatoes, tucking it around them so the tomatoes are encased. Brush the pastry with the lightly beaten egg on the top only. It does seem a bit pointless, as this will be the underneath of the tart, but I like that bit of extra crunch that it adds to the pastry and it looks so much more presentable for that minute before you turn it upside down!
• Bake in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the puff pastry is well puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes, then tip away the excess liquid (if any) and put a large plate upside down on top of the skillet. Using oven gloves, press the plate down hard and then quickly flip the whole thing so the skillet is upside down and the plate is on the bottom. I do this over the sink because there is usually some leakage! Remove the skillet. Once the tart is cold, rip up some basil or mint leaves and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Add salt and pepper if required. Serve cold with cold meats, cheeses, olives, or salads.

Steps:

• For the crust: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the pie crust on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes until lightly golden. Cool for 20 minutes.
• For the pesto: In a blender or food processor, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until finely chopped. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until the mixture forms a smooth and thick consistency. Add the Parmesan and pulse until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Using a spatula, spread the pesto over the cooled crust. Arrange the tomato slices on top of the pesto and garnish with the sliced basil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Cut the tart into wedges and serve.