TOMATO & MUSTARD TART
Meet your new all-round dish for summer entertaining.
When friends are coming over for a spontaneous aperitif, this puff pastry tart is my go-to recipe. It’s quick and easy and will be devoured by guests at any type of gathering, from garden party to family lunch on a sunny terrace. What I love most about this recipe is that no tart or pie dish is required. Just roll out the premade puff pastry and top with the condiments, herbs and juicy ripe tomatoes. It’s like a slice of Provence on your plate.
This recipe features in our cookbook, French Cooking Academy: 100 Essential Recipes for the Home Cook
Serves 4–6
INGREDIENTS
1 roll or sheet premade puff pastry
2 tbsp (30 ml) Dijon mustard
¼ cup (60 ml) plain tomato sauce or Italian passata
5 tbsp (40 g) breadcrumbs
5–6 large tomatoes, sliced finelyartisan
Few pinches of salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp (5 g) dried herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
MISE EN PLACE
Puff pastry is much easier to work with cold, so remove the pastry sheet from the freezer ahead of time and keep chilled in the fridge at the ready. I use a large pastry sheet, but you can use any size you like.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
METHOD
Place the puff pastry on the baking sheet. Fold the edges of the pastry sheet 2 inches (5 cm) inward to mimic the rim of a tart dish. Use a pastry brush to coat the base of the pastry with the mustard, followed by a layer of tomato sauce and a smattering of breadcrumbs, avoiding the folded edges. Arrange the tomato slices in tidy overlapping rows, taking care that none are resting along the edges of the tart. Feel free to cram in as many tomatoes as you can. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbes, plus a generous glug of olive oil.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (depending on size), or until the pastry is puffy and golden and the tomatoes are slightly shriveled. Serve cut into slices.