I can't believe we've reached the last day of August and I haven't shared anything tomato related yet! What's up with that?!! Seriously, I do not consider a summer complete without a fresh tomato sandwich (or two or three). It's part of what makes summer, summer, you know? So for me not to wax poetic on these pages about this red and juicy veggie (yes, I know it's technically a fruit, but let's be real please) is downright strange. Thankfully it's still technically August and still summer so with this Rustic Roasted Tomato Tart, I'm getting in just under the wire. Whew!!!

Also strange, considering my tomato love, is the fact that I have never made a tomato tart before. Ok, maybe I attempted a disastrous one a few years back, but due to its inedibility, I'm discounting that and viewing this highly successful attempt as my very first. Because guys, this tart is downright delicious from the roasted tomatoes to the freshly grated Parm to the incredibly flaky crust!

And don't let the word "tart" scare you off here either because it's super easy to make. The dough gets mixed in the food processor, rolls out like a dream and then gets free-formed around the roasted tomatoes. Rustic =stress free tart baking!!

The roasted tomatoes are a breeze to make too and when cooked they're super sweet and caramelized with that slight tang that only tomatoes can deliver. 

Putting the tart together is fun and quick. After rolling out the dough, you layer the tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, fold up the dough around them, brush with an egg wash, sprinkle with more Parm and parsley and bake.

The tomatoes are burst-in-your-mouth juicy and perfectly complemented by the buttery, flaky pastry. Every bite makes you feel like you've visited a French country bistro! Paired with a salad it's an excellent light dinner.

Now, I know it's Labor Day and back to school and work for many, but if you can possibly fit making this tart into your busy schedule in the next few days while tomatoes are at their peak, I highly, highly recommend it. It's just one of those summer things that shouldn't be missed! Yikes, how can it almost be September?!!!

Rustic Roasted Tomato Tart

Makes one 8-inch tart

Prep Time for dough:  10 minutes, plus at least one hour of chilling time and up to 2 days; Prep Time for Roasted Tomatoes:  35-40 minutes; Assembly and bake time for tart: 50 minutes-1 hour

Ingredients

For the dough

• 1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes and refrigerated until ready to use  
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon ice water

For the Roasted Tomatoes

• 12 plum tomatoes, cut in half the long way and cored
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar  
• 2 teaspoons honey  
• 2-3 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley
• Kosher salt

For the Tart

• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• Generous ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan  
• 16 roasted tomato halves
• chopped fresh parsley

The Recipe 

1.  To make the tart dough:  place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse about 20 times until the mixture looks crumbly and butter pieces are small. With motor running, pour in the cold water and process just until the dough starts to clump together. Turn the dough out onto a flat surface and knead briefly to make it all come together. Then flatten into a ¾ inch thick disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. When ready to make the tart, remove from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling out. 

2.  To make the roasted tomatoes:  preheat oven to 425º F and line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with foil and then top it with a piece of parchment paper. Brush the paper with the 1 tablespoon of oil. Place the tomatoes on the sheet and drizzle with the oil all over as well as the vinegar and honey. Sprinkle with the parsley and a pinch or two of kosher salt and use your hands to mix everything around so that the tomatoes are well coated. Then arrange so that all of them are facing cut side up on the sheet. Roast for at least 30 minutes, until tomatoes are tender and beginning to get browned and caramelized. For this recipe you will only need 16 halves so luckily there will be leftovers!!

3.  When you are ready to make the tart, preheat oven to 400º F and line another rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and cream together and set aside. Sprinkle a board or surface with flour and roll the dough out into a rough 11 or 12 inch circle. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. 

4.  Leaving a 2-inch border, sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan into the middle of the dough in a circle. Starting at the center, start to arrange tomato halves over the cheese, overlapping them slightly. Sprinkle most of the chopped parsley and all but 2 teaspoons of the Parmesan over the arranged tomatoes. Now fold up the sides of the dough over the tomatoes. Brush the dough all over with the egg mixture and then sprinkle on the remaining parsley and Parmesan. 

5.  Bake the tart for about 40 minutes until the top looks golden and the crust (when you check underneath with a spatula) is crisp and cooked. Remove from the oven and let cool a bit before serving. This is tough to transfer while it's hot so if you want to serve it warm, just cut into wedges on the baking sheet. It's great at room temperature too and easier to transfer to a serving platter then. 

6.  If there are any leftovers, wrap them well and eat cold or reheat in a 350º oven for about 10 minutes. 

Enjoy! 

Note:  Recipe adapted from Fresh From The Farm by Susie Middleton. I used fresh parsley instead of rhyme because that's what I had on hand.