Flaky Tomato And Mozzarella Tart Recipes

TOMATO & MOZZARELLA TART WITH ROAST PEPPER PESTO

Steps:

• Put a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to fan 200C/conventional 220C/gas 7. (Heating the sheet helps cook the pastry base.) Use the pastry to line a shallow rectangular tin about 20 x 30cm. Prick the base lightly with a fork.
• Scatter the Parmesan over the pastry base. Drain the peppers and pat dry on paper towels. (If the peppers are in oil, don't worry about this part.) Lay the whole peppers widthways across the pastry base. If the peppers aren't in oil, brush a little over them and the pastry, then season. Bake for about 15 minutes until the pastry is puffy and golden.
• Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella. Lay alternating, slightly overlapping lines of tomato and mozzarella over the peppers. Drizzle with oil, scatter with basil leaves and an extra grinding of black pepper, then serve while the pastry is still warm.

CHEESE, TOMATO & PESTO TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6. Unroll the pastry onto a flat baking sheet and, using a sharp knife, score a rectangle two finger-widths from the edge. Fork the pastry all over the inside of the marked edge. Scatter the cheese, olives and tomatoes over the centre of the tart, then season to taste.
• Bake for 20-25 mins until pastry is crisp and risen, tomatoes are soft and the cheese is golden. Drizzle over the pesto and cut the tart into slices to serve. Great with a green salad.

TOMATO AND MOZZARELLA TART

Steps:

• Brush egg along one edge of one sheet of puff pastry. Overlap with second sheet of dough by 1 inch and press to seal pieces together.
• With rolling pin, smooth out seam. Dough should measure about 18 by 9 inches. Use pizza wheel or knife to trim edges straight.
• With pizza wheel or knife, cut 1-inch strip from long side of dough. Cut another 1-inch strip from same side.
• Cut 1-inch strip from short side of dough. Cut another 1-inch strip from same side. Transfer pieces of dough to parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with egg.
• Gently press long strips of dough onto each long edge of dough and brush with egg. Gently press short strips of dough onto each short edge and brush with egg.
• With pizza wheel or knife, trim excess dough from corners.
• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Sprinkle Parmesan evenly over shell; using fork, uniformly and thoroughly poke holes in shell.
• Bake 13 to 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees; continue to bake until golden brown and crisp, 13 to 15 minutes longer.
• Transfer to wire rack; increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.
• While shell bakes, place tomato slices in single layer on double layer paper towels and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let stand 30 minutes.
• Place second double layer paper towels on top of tomatoes and press firmly to dry tomatoes.
• Combine garlic, olive oil, and pinch each salt and pepper in small bowl; set aside.
• Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over warm (or cool, if made ahead) baked shell. Shingle tomato slices widthwise on top of cheese (about 4 slices per row); brush tomatoes with garlic oil. Bake until shell is deep golden brown and cheese is melted, 15 to 17 minutes.
• Cool on wire rack 5 minutes, sprinkle with basil, slide onto cutting board or serving platter, cut into pieces, and serve.