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It's officially Summer, which means it's officially Tomato Season. Whether they come from your backyard or your local farmers market, the juicy orbs are about to be everywhere. And while I am perfectly content taking down an heirloom tomato like an apple, there are a myriad of other ways to enjoy this gorgeous Summer fruit, such as a rustic tart, which is really just a savory pie.... and who doesn't love pie??
Now, tomato tarts, although beautiful, can sometimes be a little boring, so I've added a layer of ricotta and goat cheese for richness and a generous sprinkle of my Spanish Sunset Spice Blend to add complexity and a little bit of smokiness. Paired with a simple green salad and a crisp Grenache Blanc or Pinot Gris, this might just be a perfect Summer meal, whether you're looking for a Meatless Monday recipe or a dish for next Sunday's brunch with the girls.
Note: You can cut your prep time by using store-bought pie crust rather than making your own. Store-bought pie dough, however, is made for standard pie pans, which are only about 9 inches in diameter, so you would be best off using a smaller cast iron skillet (9 or 10 inches). If you go this route, you'll want to decrease the amount of ricotta and probably use one fewer tomato in your filling. While I totally understand the instinct to decrease prep time, this tart is good enough that you're going to want the 12-inch size, so I highly recommend making your own dough.
Skillet Heirloom Tomato Tart
Makes one 12-inch tart
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks cold unsalted butter, diced
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
4-6 tablespoons ice-cold water
4 medium heirloom tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg yolk
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
1 tablespoon Spanish Sunset Spice Blend
Small handful fresh basil leaves, torn
Directions
Combine flour, butter and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to mix. Sprinkle with 4 tablespoons ice water and pulse a few more times. A very loose dough will form, although you may need to add more water (a tablespoon at a time), pulsing in between. Do not overmix. If the dough sticks together when you pinch it in between your fingers, you're done.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly into a ball. Wrap tightly in plastic and place in the refrigerator for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Core and slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch slices. Lay the slices on a paper towel and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let drain 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let rest at room temperature 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough a circle about 13-14 inches in diameter. Transfer the dough to a 12-inch cast iron skillet, gently pressing the dough into the corners. You'll have an inch or so of extra dough hanging over the sides of the skillet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta and egg yolk and then spread mixture over the dough in the skillet. Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese. Blot the tops of the tomato slices with another paper towel and then layer into the skillet. Sprinkle with Spanish Sunset Spice Blend and some torn basil.
Fold excess dough in toward the center of the skillet over the tomatoes, and brush the dough lightly with a little olive oil. Bake until golden brown (40 to 45 minutes), rotating halfway through cooking.
Remove from the oven rest in the pan 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a few torn basil leaves.
