Heirloom Tomato Tart

By Vallery Lomas

Published July 21, 2020

  • Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1½ hours
Rating
4(4,209)
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)

  • 1 ½ pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes (about 4 medium)

  • ¼ cup store-bought pesto

  • ¾ cup shredded mozzarella (about 3 ounces)

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano

  • 3 large eggs

  • ⅓ cup heavy cream

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

25 grams carbs; 120 milligrams cholesterol; 282 calories; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 15 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 503 milligrams sodium; 12 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

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
4,209 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.

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. "

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!

Joan

The crust should be fully blind baked - or at least more than this recipe calls for. Check out Vaughn Vreeland's Heirloom Tomato Cheddar Pie for a better method of prepping the crust. A brush of lightly beaten egg white as soon as the crust is out of the oven helps with the soggy bottom sitch. Salt and drain the tomatoes with paper towels (or flour sack towels if you're judgy about paper towels) for an hour. Take your time, this just isn't a quick weeknight pie!

Aja Tachai

This is a delicious tart and I make it on repeat in the summer using home made pesto. However, lately I have used a French tart pan with a removable bottom and no matter what I do, including a layer of egg white, it leaks. Nevertheless the tart looks and tastes wonderful.

Naida

Rather than cream, I use a cottage cheese/milk mixture immersion-blended until smooth, and it’s like ricotta. I used about 1/4 cup of that mixture. Used half mozzarella, half Parmesan. After draining tomatoes, dried them on paper towels too. It ruins the pie to have watery tomatoes. I used hands-full of fresh herbs from my garden, much more than the recipe called for. Whether heirloom or other kinds of tomatoes, they just have to have a lot of flavor.

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