posted by Lisa UK 05-18-100 4:04 PM
Fresh Tomato Tart with Basil-Garlic Crust
Serves 4 to 6
1 recipe Basil and Garlic Tart Dough (below)
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, very thinly sliced
2 large, ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound), cored and cut crosswise into thin slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Prepare the dough as instructed below and fit it into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line the bottom of the tart shell with the slices of cheese. Arrange the tomatoes over the cheese in a ring around the edge of the tart and a second ring in the center, slightly overlapping the slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with the oil.
Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has started to brown in spots, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes before slicing. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.
Basil and Garlic Tart Dough:
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves (you may substitute dried basil if fresh is not available)
1 medium clove garlic
1-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 8 to 10 pieces
4-5 tablespoons ice water
It's easiest to use a food processor to prepare the crust, but a pastry blender or your fingers will work equally well.
Place the basil and garlic in the work bowl of a food processor. Process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until finely chopped. Add the flour and salt and pulse several times to combine.
Place the butter in the work bowl. Pulse about 10 times, or until the mixture resembles pea-size crumbs.
Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing several times after each addition. After 4 tablespoons water have been added, process the dough for several seconds to see if it is coming together into a ball. If not, add
the remaining 1 tablespoon water. Once the dough seems to be coming together, continue processing until it comes together into a ball. Remove the dough from the food processor.
Flatten the dough into a 5-inch disk. Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Follow tart recipe above.