Heirloom Tomato Tart

By Vallery Lomas

Published July 22, 2020

Heirloom Tomato Tart
Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
1½ hours
Rating
4(4,128)
Comments
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Heirloom tomatoes may seem flawed, but it’s actually their uniformly red counterparts who are the genetic deviants of the tomato family. Decades ago, many businesses decided to prioritize cookie-cutter-like hybrid tomatoes, which grow year-round and can survive a long, bumpy journey. It left heirloom tomatoes on the wrong side of the deal. The varieties that remain have a shorter shelf life and are relegated to just a few months of summer, but they’re sweeter with a more robust flavor. This tart celebrates juicy, vibrant tomatoes in a cheesy, herby, custard-filled, flaky crust, with each bite punctuated with pesto.

Featured in: A Timeless Tomato Tart

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • Dough for a 9-inch single crust pie, or use store-bought, rolled into an 11-inch round (see Note)
  • 1½pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes (about 4 medium)
  • ¼cup store-bought pesto
  • ¾cup shredded mozzarella (about 3 ounces)
  • 1tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
  • 1tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
  • 3large eggs
  • ⅓cup heavy cream
  • ½teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

282 calories; 15 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 503 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Fit the rolled-out dough into a 9-inch tart pan, allowing the edges to rise about ¼ inch above the rim of the pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork.

  2. Step 2

    Line the dough with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes until beginning to brown at the edges. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil and weights. Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes into ½-inch slices. Place in a colander to drain excess tomato liquid for 20 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Spread ¼ cup pesto in an even layer over the parbaked tart crust. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the pesto. Sprinkle the fresh basil and oregano over the cheese.

  5. Step 5

    In a medium bowl, prepare the custard: Whisk together the eggs, cream, salt and pepper until combined.

  6. Step 6

    Place the sliced tomatoes evenly over the cheese and herbs in overlapping concentric circles.

  7. Step 7

    Pour the custard evenly over the tomato slices. Swirl the pan to evenly distribute the liquid. Bake until the filling is set and won’t jiggle when shaken, about 35 minutes.

  8. Step 8

    Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving warm. This tart can also be served at room temperature.

Tip
  • Packaged pie dough is an excellent shortcut for weeknight meals, and the tart crust can be parbaked a day in advance.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
4,128 user ratings
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Comments

Lucy

Tip from Cathy Barrow which has worked for me - put an upside down sheet pan in oven as you preheat and place tart pan on top to cook. Really helps eliminate that soggy bottom.

Ilana

This was a really terrific dish! All the best flavors of pizza and quiche rolled into one. My whole family loved it, including my youngest, who is a very picky eater. I had to increase the cook time by about 5 minutes to get it to firm up because of the juices released by the tomatoes during baking. I also found that letting it rest for 20-30 minutes after it came out of the oven really helped it to firm up. Delicious!

Zeus G

Made it and it was terrific. BUT why not change the order of the instructions to read "First slice and drain tomatoes in colander for 20 minutes, etc. Prepare crust. While tomatoes are draining, bake the prepared crust as directed and proceed with the recipe. "

Meg

Absolutely delicious! I followed someone's advice and sliced the tomatoes before making the crust. I also sprinkled the tomatoes with a bit of powdered sugar to bring out all of the moisture (my son taught me this) and this worked like a charm. I had to parbake the crust a bit longer than 15 minutes, which ensured that the end result was not at all soggy. Will definitely make again and again.

AJ

I have made this with my own pie crust and my homemade pesto but otherwise exactly as shown and it was great, but the last time I did not have mozzarella so I used shredded black pepper Toscano cheese and it was amazing!

KB

I liked the flavor combination in this quiche, but the moisture content from the tomatoes turned it into a soupy mess. Even after straining the heirloom tomatoes for 30 min, patting off excess moisture, cooking for an extra 10 min, and trying to spoon a puddle off from the top center, it still didn't turn out.

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