Tomato Goat Cheese Tart with Pesto Vinaigrette
Prep Time: 20 mins + chilling time | Cook Time: 20 mins | Course: Dinner | Serves: 6
Fresh summer tomatoes set in a goat cheese cream encased by a herby flaky tart crust and drizzled with a pesto vinaigrette. Inspired by David Leite of Leite’s Culinaria https://leitesculinaria.com/1692/recipes-fresh-tomato-tart.html
Herby Crust:
1 ½ cups flour
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, minced
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced
¾ tsp salt
¾ cup cold butter, cut into tablespoons
5 Tbsp cold water
Tomato Filling:
½ cup heavy cream
8 oz goat cheese
¼ cup pesto, homemade (link below) or store-bought
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1 lb multi-colored Summer or heirloom tomatoes (maybe a few cherry tomatoes too)
Pesto Vinaigrette:
¼ cup pesto, homemade (link below) or store-bought
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
In a food processor, layer flour, rosemary, thyme, and salt. Pulse to distribute the dry ingredients. Top with the butter slices and pulse several times until the butter is incorporated and the mixture has a coarse texture. Drizzle in the water, and pulse 4-5 times to make a dough; adding an extra tablespoon if it is too crumbly. Don’t over mix or the dough can get tough. Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and wrap the dough; pressing it into a square. Refrigerate for 20 minutes while making the goat cream sauce, and other elements.
Preheat the oven to 400*. Whisk the cream (warm the cream in the microwave for 1 minute for easier mixing), goat cheese, pesto, and pepper together until smooth in a glass measurer. Slice the tomatoes and have them ready to go. Whisk the pesto, olive oil, and vinegar in a small glass measurer.
Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9- or 10-inch tart pan (or pie plate). Place the dough into the pan and crimp the edges. Prick the dough with a fork all over and bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes on the counter, then smooth the goat cream over the tart surface. Layer tomatoes on top, then drizzle with the vinaigrette.
