A Goat's Cheese, Tomato & Olive Tart

Tuesday 27 August 2013


 photo SAM_0150_zps4ff4d89f.jpg
 

I love late summer when the garden begins to share it's bounty with us . . . that is the time of year when all the hard work begins to pay off . . . the fruit ripens, vegetables are ready to be picked . . . and there is nothing tastier on earth than things you have grown yourself.

 photo SAM_0151_zps18d5ea3c.jpg

I have always loved tomatoes.  As a girl we ate ripe tomatoes at the end of the summer out of hand like apples.  It was not unsual to sit down to a complete meal of nothing but sliced ripe tomatoes, sliced ripe cucumbers . . . scattered with salt and pepper and served with buttered bread.

 photo SAM_0153_zps1dbeb8e8.jpg

Or a feed of nothing but sweet corn on the cob with lots of butter and salt.  We never felt deprived when this happened.   It was a real treat.  It still is.

 photo SAM_0156_zpsbfea6b5a.jpg

I took some of our ripe tomatoes today and used them to make a delicious tomato tart.  Tomato tarts can be as complicated or as simple as you want them to be.  This one is very simple and very rustic.

 photo SAM_0154_zps9ac2ce36.jpg

It's just a matter of rolling out the pastry into a nice round and then sprinkling it with some rich and creamy soft Goat's cheese.   You then layer that up with sliced tomatoes and chopped olives . . . you could add a few capers as well, if you are fond of them.  I am, but today I didn't have any to use . . .

 photo SAM_0158_zps671aba10.jpg

A sprinkle of coarse pepper and salt and into the oven it goes . . . until the pastry gets crisp and golden brown . . . and the tomatoes are just beginning to caramlize . . . and the goats cheese lays all rich and creamy beneath them . . .


 photo SAM_0163_zps1d29f897.jpg

I like to use the dry cured olives because they have more flavour and are usually cured with some herbs.  I love them and a few can go a very long way because they are so very flavourful!

 photo SAM_0160_zps61367041.jpg


After that you only need drizzle the tart with a bit of really good extra virgin olive oil and a few strips of fresh basil before cutting it into wedges to serve.

 photo SAM_0162_zpsfa038832.jpg

Me . . . I always like to drizzle it with a bit of balsamic dressing as well, such as the house dressing in my sandwiches of yesterday.  (It's most delicious you know!)  All in all this makes for a delightfully toothsome and flavourful light lunch or supper.

 photo SAM_0149_zps6f330ecb.jpg

Tomato, Olive & Goats Cheese Tart
Makes 1 9-inch tarts
Serving 4 to 5

This recipe is a real doddle to make and something I like to make when in late summer when the tomatoes are fast ripening on the vine.  Does anything on earth taste better than a fresh garden tomato?
 
1 package of  short crust pastry,or make your own
(You will want enough to make a 12 inch round)
3 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/2inch wedges
2/3 of a 175g package of soft goats cheese, about 1/2 cup, crumbled
a handful of dry cured pitted green and black olives, chopped
freshly ground black pepper to taste
coarse salt to taste
about 6 basil leaves, rolled tightly and cut chiffonade
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 4.  Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

Roll the pastry out to a 12 inch circle.  Place the pastry carefully onto the paper lined baking sheet.   Crumble the goats cheese in the middle., leaving a 2 inch border all round.    Remove and discards any seeds and excess juice from your tomatoes.   Arrange the tomatoes in an even layer over the goats cheese.   Grind some black pepper over top and a bit of salt and sprinkle the olives evenly over all.  Gently fold the edges of the pastry over top of the filling all the way around, crimping as need be.  You want to leave the centre open. 

Bake in the heated oven for 40 to 45 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling is cooked.  The tomatoes will be lightly roasted.   Remove from the oven and allow stand for about 10 minutes. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the basil strips.   Cut into wedges to serve.

8 comments

  1. Thanks for the head up! Will keep this in mind
    Estetik

    ReplyDelete
  2. It looks fabulous.Just a quick question though . . . I tried a similar thing on a freshly made pizza base but the liquid from the tomatoes made the base so soggy it was inedible. Would the same thing happen here?

    ReplyDelete
  3. HI Whitney, great question. That is why you remove all of the seeds and liquidy part from the tomatoes. The remaining tomatoe just bakes down into the goats cheese and as you can see my base was quite crisp and golden brown!

    ReplyDelete
  4. this tomato tart look fantastic dear Marie, I love tomatos and can't wait here we have summer tomatos:)
    Delicious! send you loads of love dear, how is Lura?? many times I dont Heard from her!xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Looks delicious Marie. I baked your lemon crisp biscuits the other day and I have to say they were the tastiest I have ever baked. I froze half the mixture so I wouldn't be tempted to eat them all in one go and it was just as well as they lasted no time flat!

    Jane x

    ReplyDelete
  6. this looks so good, makes me hungry!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks Laurie! It is very good! xoxo

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by. I love to hear from you so do not be shy!


BEFORE LEAVING A COMMENT OR RATING, ASK YOURSELF:
Did you make the recipe as directed? Recipe results are not guaranteed when changes have been made.

Is this comment helpful to other readers? Rude or hateful comments will not be approved. Remember that this website is run by a real person.

Are you here to complain about ads? Please keep in mind that I develop these recipes and provide them to you for free. Advertising helps to defray my cost of doing so, and allows me to continue to post regular fresh content.

Thanks so much for your understanding! I appreciate you!