Tomato Tart

John Barricelli, owner of the SoNo Baking Company in Connecticut, taught me a version of this tomato tart when we were producing The Martha Stewart Show in Westport. He had learned his recipe from his dad and had elaborated on it. I have added my pate brisee crust, softly roasted garlic puree, and an assortment of garden-ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced and arranged in concentric circles, with a sprinkling of grated fontina cheese. This tart is best made when the tomatoes are ripe in the garden. I serve it as a first course for dinner or a main course for lunch, straight from the oven.

SERVES: 8

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head of garlic, top third sliced off
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Unbleached all-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1 disk (½ recipe) Pate Brisee (page 288), chilled
• 3 ounces Italian fontina cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
• ½ pounds firm but ripe tomatoes (4 medium), cored and sliced ¼ inch thick
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
• Thyme sprigs, for serving 
  
  

METHOD

1. Roast the garlic: Preheat the oven to 205°C/400°F. Place the garlic on a piece of parchment-lined foil and drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil. Fold to enclose the garlic. Place on a baking sheet and roast until soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool. Raise the oven temperature to 230°C/450°F. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, using either your hands or the dull end of a large knife, squeeze the cloves out of their skins and into a small bowl; mash with a fork and set aside. Discard the papery skins. 

2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to ⅛ inch thick, about 12 inches in diameter. With a dry pastry brush, brush off the excess flour. Roll the dough around the rolling pin, and lift it over a 10-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Fit it into the tart pan. Trim the dough so that it is flush with the edges. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. 

3. With an offset spatula, spread the roasted garlic evenly on the chilled crust. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Arrange the tomatoes on top of the cheese in an overlapping circular pattern. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and the halved cherry tomatoes, if desired, and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. 

4. Reduce the temperature to 205°C/400°F. Bake until the crust is golden and the tomatoes are soft but still retain their shape, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes, top with thyme sprigs, and serve warm.