Tomato Tart Nicoise
Submitted by Neil K
Provençal tomato tart layered with ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, marinated artichoke hearts, and fresh oregano in a golden pastry shell. Bring the French Riviera to your kitchen table.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsClose your eyes and you’re on the Côte d’Azur, sun on your shoulders, a glass of rosé in hand.
This tart starts with a blind-baked pastry shell brushed with egg white for that extra-crisp base.
Sliced tomatoes line the bottom, then a creamy blend of ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan gets spread over top like the most luxurious blanket you’ve ever seen.
Artichoke hearts and olives crown the whole affair alongside tomato wedges and a generous scatter of fresh oregano.
It bakes until the cheese sets into something custardy, golden, and utterly irresistible.
Kitchen Tips
- Blind bake properly. Use real pastry weights or dried beans to keep the crust flat. That egg white brush seals it so the filling won’t make it soggy.
- Drain the artichokes. Marinated artichoke hearts carry a lot of oil. Give them a light squeeze so the tart doesn’t get greasy.
- Room temp tomatoes taste best. Cold supermarket tomatoes lose their sweetness. Let them sit out a day before using.
- Cool before slicing. That 10-minute rest lets the cheese layer firm up so you get clean, beautiful slices.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃).
On lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 14-inch round.
Transfer to an 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom.
Trim edges; prick botttom with tines of fork.
Lane pastry shell with aluminum foil; fill with pastry weights, dried beans, or raw rice.
Bake 15 minutes.
Remove foil and weights.
Bake 5 to 6 minutes longer or just until pastry starts to turn golden.
Brush with egg white; bake 1 minute longer.
Cool completely on wire rack.
Reduce oven temperature to 350℉ (180℃).
Thinly slice 1 tomato; arrange over bottom of pastry shell; set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs; blend in ricotta, mozzarella, 4 tablespoons of the Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons of the fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons of the dried).
Spread over tomato slices.
Cut remaining tomato into 12 wedges.
Arrange on top of cheese layer with artichoke halves and olives.
Sprinkle with remaining oregano and Parmesan.
Bake 40 minutes or until cheese layer is set.
Cool on wire rack 10 minutes before removing outer ring.
Serve warm.
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