Summer Tomato Tart

Tomatoes and bread go together like butter and biscuits, lemons and sugar, and Ruby and Ozzie.  Sometimes folks can get a little heavy handed though with the cheese or dough, which kind of mutes the tomato's lovely fragrance.  I prefer a lighter tart with just a little bit of savory - plus a touch of mustard, which is a classic French tomato tart compliment.  

Ingredients:

For the Flaky Butter Crust

1 cup unbleached all purpose or whole grain pastry flour

Pinch of sea salt

9 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 9 pieces

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons cold whole milk

For The Filling

3 large eggs

1 cup heavy cream

6 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped very fine

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 

Pinch of fine kosher salt

1 to 2 large tomatoes, sliced

8 cherry tomatoes, halved

Step One:  Make the crust

1.  Using a standing mixture fitted with the paddle attachment (or with an electric mixer), beat the flour and salt for 10-15 seconds, or until just mixed.  Add the butter and beat slowly for 45-60 seconds, just until the crust just holds together and there are still clumps of butter the size of a pecan throughout.  In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and milk and add all at once to the flour-butter mixture.  Beat very briefly on low speed for 20 to 30 seconds, just until it barely comes together.  

2.  Dump the dough out onto a work surface and gather it into a tight mound.  Using the heel of your hand, smear the dough, starting at the top of the mound and sliding your palm down the sides of the mound along the work surface, until most of the butter chunks are smeared into the dough and the whole thing comes together.  Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and press down to make a flattened disk.  Refrigerate for at least one hour before using.  

3.  Remove the dough from the refrigerator and knead it slightly to make it softer if it feels stiff.  Using a rolling pin, press the dough to flatten it into a disk about 1/2 inch thick.  Generously flour your work surface and the dough disk.  Carefully roll out the disk into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.  Make sure that both the rolling pin and your work surface are well floured.  Roll from the center of the disk outward and gently rotate the disk a quarter turn after each roll to ensure that the disk gets stretched out evenly into a circle. 

4.  Once the dough circle is about 12 inches in diameter, roll it gently around the rolling pin and unfurl it on top of a 9-inch aluminum or glass pie plate.  Press the dough gently into the bottom and sides of the plate, leaving a 1/2 inch lip around the edge (to allow for shrinkage in the oven), and using any scraps or odd pieces to patch up any tears or missing bits.

5. Refrigerate the pie shell for at least 30 minutes.  You can wrap in plastic and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

6.  Place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

7.  Line the pie shell with a piece of parchment paper or a large coffee filter and weigh down with dry beans or pie weights.  Make sure the shell is well-filled and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust starts to brown on the edges.  It should still be pale and matte when you lift the parchment and peek underneath.  (If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with foil.)  Remove the parchment and weights and return to the oven for another 5-7 minutes.  Remove from the oven  and let cool on a wire rack.  

8.  Reduce the oven temperature to 275F.

Step two: Make the filling:

1. Whisk together the eggs and cream until smooth but not frothy. Whisk in the salt, then the chives, parsley, and thyme.

2. Gently spread the mustard evenly across the bottom of the tart shell.  Sprinkle the Gruyere over the entire bottom of the shell.  

3.  Pour the egg and cream filling into the shell, and tilt gently to even out.  Place the tomatoes in the tart, face up.

4.  Bake tart for 35 - 40 minutes, checking the tart edge halfway through baking and cover edges with foil if they brown too quickly.  The tart will be ready when the filling is firm.