Tarte Provençal à la Tomate
With eleven tomato plants this year (onze pieds de tomates!), we had to find new ways to eat our prolific tomatoes. Panzanella, Pappa al Pomodoro, tomato sauce, homemade ketchup, Caprese salad, Ratatouille and of course, Tarte à la Tomate. This is my easy tomato tart recipe inspired by the simple tarts you can buy in the bakeries here in France. I was always a little anxious about making a tomato tart, fearing it would end in a soggy mess. Turns out, not the case!
We used heirloom tomatoes such as beefsteak, which are quite large. Use only in-season tomatoes and if they’re not heirloom double the amount of tomatoes that you’ll need. I remove the seeds from the tomatoes to ensure a crispy tart base. Another way to do this is to bake the sliced tomatoes in a high oven, before you add them to the tart, for 10-15 minutes to remove the moisture.
Here in France we have easy access to good quality ready-made shortcrust and puff pastry. If you can’t find this yourself then of course homemade is always best. Look up the Pâte Brisée recipe by Michel Roux.
Ingredients
Ready-made roll of pâte brisé (shortcrust pastry)
4-5 large Heirloom Tomatoes
2 heaped tablespoons of strong/hot Dijon mustard
2 medium-size onions, or 4 banana shallots
1 tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar
Herbes de Provence, salt
Olive oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 210°C (410°F)
Prepare all your ingredients for a stress-free cooking experience.
Slice the onions thinly. Fry on a low heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure they don’t catch on the bottom. Once slightly browned, add a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
Rinse and dry your tomatoes. Slice about 1 cm thick slices across the tomatoes. Remove the seeds with a small spoon on both sides. Set aside.
Place baking paper onto a tray, then roll out your pastry flat onto the tray. Prick several times with a fork. Place in the oven for 5 minutes or until lightly golden.
Take the pastry out of the oven and slather the base with mustard. Be generous!
Add the onions, covering the entire base. Then add the tomatoes in a circular motion from largest slices to smallest. Sprinkle with two pinches of Herbes de Provence, and the same of sea salt.
Add an olive in the center if you like.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. If in doubt, bake a little longer. Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack. Drizzle lightly with peppery olive oil. Enjoy warm or room temperature with a zesty green salad. Oh, and a glass of wine of course.
Additions
I enjoy the simplicity of this tart. However, feel free to add thinly sliced anchovies or some fresh goats cheese before it goes in the oven.
*Temperature tip
If you eat this tart warm, you’ll notice more the taste of the tomatoes. If you eat it cooled, at room temperature, the pastry will be crunchy and you’ll notice the sweetness of the onions. Both are scrumptious in different ways!
Feel free to add notes on your favourite tomato tart recipes below!
