Tarte a la Tomate

April

I have been very excited to bring you this month’s recipe. But first things first, if you've noticed that the top of my page has had a little change, well done, and I have to pass credit to my dear friend Eleta, who by chance has this great little online jewelry store (plug, plug, plug) and if you happen to live in Perth she also shows up at various markets around the city (thank you hon’ xoxo)

But back to food. I feel like I should have some wonderful story to share with this recipe, like a back story to place emphasis on just how special a recipe this is. Truth is I have squat. Nothing. I found the recipe, I tried the recipe, I slid the recipe into my ‘favorites’ file and there I think it shall stay for quite some time. It is simple, (or at least as simple as French gets) it is buttery, it is sweet and salty and something you want to eat with your eyes closed and a sultry French songstress wooing you in the back ground. It is Tarte à la Tomate. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Perfect for dinner parties, picnics or sneakily chowing down whilst sitting on the kitchen floor and hoping no one is looking so that you don’t have to share.

So without further delay, here she is…….

(Adapted from Food of the world’s The cooking of Provincial France)

Tarte à la Tomate

Pastry:

140 grams of butter

170 grams of plain flour

1 teaspoon of salt

3-5 tablespoons of cold water

Combine and chill for 3 hours

Butter and dust lightly with flour a false bottomed quiche or cake tin (8-9 inch) then roll out pastry (may need to take out of fridge for 5-10 minutes before rolling out) lay pastry in tin, cut off over hang and return to fridge for an hour

Topping:

Cheese: Combrè, Swiss or Gruyere (I’m sure you can put in whatever you like or can get from local shops) about 500 grams

2-3 large tomatoes (I used about 600 grams of cherry tomatoes)

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Fresh basil, about 4 or 5 leaves

30 grams of Parmesan cheese- grated

30 grams of butter

Slice tomatoes and sprinkle with a good amount of salt and leave to drain for 1 hour.

Bake pastry (using blind bake method) at about 200 degrees for 10-15 minutes depending on your oven, remove baking paper and weights, prick pastry with fork all over and return to oven for another 5 minutes.

Lay sliced cheese over pastry, then lay tomatoes on top.

Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle the Parmesan across and a little of the basil- finely chopped.

Melt butter and pour over top of tomatoes and return to oven for around 25 minutes till starting to golden.

Adorn with some freshly chopped basil and serve.