Best-Ever Tomato Tart

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

We’re deep in the throes of my favorite time of year: tomato tart season. There is no better time to make a tomato tart than when we’re deep in summer and tomatoes are so perfectly ripe you can smell them before you even pick them up (smell is the key to choosing a good ripe tomato), and they’re bursting with sweet, juicy flavor. This tart has buttery, flaky puff pastry that’s layered with a creamy garlic and herb ricotta filling and juicy slices of tomato. It’s baked just long enough to soften the tomatoes and concentrate their already perfect flavor into something magical.

Ingredients

1 (14- to 17.5-ounce) package frozen puff pastry (preferably all butter), thawed in the refrigerator
1 large egg, beaten
1 pound tomatoes (2 to 3 medium), sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 cup ricotta cheese, preferably whole milk
1 clove garlic, finely grated
1 teaspoon salt-free dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Red pepper flakes, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Move the parchment to a work surface. Unfold 1 package puff pastry onto the parchment (if your package has 2 sheets, place them side by side, slightly overlapping, so that they fit the baking sheet). Using a rolling pin, roll it into a rectangle about the size of the baking sheet. Transfer the puff, still on the parchment, to the baking sheet.
Brush the edges with 1 large beaten egg to form a 1-inch border. Carefully roll about 1/2-inch of each side in on itself toward the center to form the outer rim of the tart. Prick the pastry all over inside the border with the tines of a fork. Brush the rim with the egg. Bake until light golden brown and slightly puffed, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the tomatoes and filling.
Line a baking sheet or cutting board with a double layer of paper towels. Arrange 1 pound sliced tomatoes in a single layer on the paper towels. Sprinkle all over with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Let sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Pat the tomatoes dry with paper towels to absorb the moisture beaded on top.
Stir 1 cup ricotta cheese, 1 finely grated garlic clove, 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper together in a medium bowl.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. If the pastry has puffed up, gently press down with a spoon to deflate.
Dollop the ricotta mixture over the puff pastry and spread into an even layer. Place the tomato slices evenly over the ricotta, overlapping them slightly as needed to fit.
Bake until the edges are puffed and the bottom is crisp and golden-brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and red pepper flakes if using. Serve warm or at room temperature.