the friday feed: tomato ricotta tart

The tomato is one of summer's greatest gifts. When it comes to fresh summer tomatoes, there’s a lot to love. There's the range of bright colors - yellow, red, orange, and green. Then, there’s the sheer volume of varieties; you might turn up your nose to a beefsteak but find the sweet pop of a grape tomato irresistible. Of course, the health benefits are not to be overlooked. Tomatoes are rich in Vitamins C, E, and K, as well as in potassium and fiber. Beautiful, healthy, low-calorie, and versatile, tomatoes are delicious served in any number of ways. My very favorite way to eat tomatoes is quick and simple - sliced with a sprinkle of salt. 

After the unending barrage of news about the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, I just needed to find a happy place and one of my happy places is in my kitchen (right now the makeshift kitchen in my dining room, but hey, it works!), cooking something tasty and with a little pizzazz. Tomatoes are simple but when you combine them with puff pastry and a mixture of yummy cheeses into a tomato tart, you end up with pizzazzy  deliciousness. And it is pretty, too.

Tomato Ricotta Tart 

Ingredients 

1 cup full fat ricotta (drained if very wet)
1/4 cup mascarpone (I couldn't find mascarpone so used creme fraiche. Sour cream would work, too)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup whole milk yogurt
1 egg, beaten
1 clove of garlic, grated
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 - 3 sliced tomatoes
Salt and pepper
fresh basil leaves
1 package pre-made puff pastry (thawed out if frozen)

Preheat oven to 400F/200C
In a medium bowl whisk together ricotta, mascarpone, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (I put all the Parm in the ricotta mixture), and 1/4 c. chopped basil.
Cut the tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices. If using cherry tomatoes, cut in half.
Lay out the pastry onto a baking sheet. Using a sharp knife score a line around the rim, about a 1/2 inch in from the edge. Fold and pinch  the pastry into a crust.
Spread the cheese mixture onto the pastry, within the scored rim. Artfully arrange the tomatoes and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Scatter remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan on top.
Place in pre-heated oven and bake for about 25 minutes. The cheese and crust should be golden.

Take out of oven and let rest at least 20 minutes. It’s best at room temperature, which gives the cheese a chance to set. If you’d like, scatter some fresh herbs on top before serving.

If you noticed my tomato tart cookie sheet above, it looks just like this 😁. It's an old faithful, a wedding present coming up on 44 years. I'm looking at new cookie sheets but won't get rid of my well-loved companions. Time to repurpose them into an activity tray using letter magnets for my grandsons to build words or maybe a shoe tray by the back door or a newly decorated serving tray.