…you know that there are days when the joy of it just takes over. And when it’s hot outside, but cool inside, and Summer’s bounty is calling, well, it just doesn’t get any better.
I follow a guy on Instagram who lives on a farm in Iowa; he’s in his grandmother’s house, and from the looks of things, is a spectacular gardener, growing and showing all sorts of delicious produce.
Last year, when tomatoes were bountiful, I tried his Heirloom Tomato Crostata. An outstanding part of that is the decidedly savory nature of the crust, adding an Italian herb blend and a goodly amount of Parmesan cheese to the usual suspects of flour, butter, and a dash of salt. If that wasn’t enough, the filling of cream cheese and Gruyère really elevated it further.
Seeing him talk about tomatoes the other day, I picked up a couple of really nice beefsteak tomatoes at the market, decided I’d tinker with things, and made it a little differently.
First, rather than the more rustic presentation of a galette, I decided to make a tart. Same pastry recipe, but I just put it in a 9″ tart pan. Once I had the dough in the pan, it went into the fridge to chill and develop some structure.
Next, the filling. Much as hot dogs come in packages of 10, and buns in packages of 8, cream cheese comes in 8 oz blocks, and the recipe calls for 6 oz. Being a firm believer that you can’t get too much of a good thing, I used the whole 8 oz, added the 6 oz of Gruyère called for, added a touch of heavy cream to make it easier to spread, mixed it all up, then added it to the chilled tart shell.
I used two tomatoes, and sliced them just shy of 1/4″ thick. I heartily recommend that you follow the recipe suggestion to sprinkle the tomato slices with salt and let them sit for about 20 minutes; then use paper towels and soak up all the moisture the salt brings out.
I cut the tomato slices into semicircles, then arranged them to cover the entire surface of the tart.
The recipe calls for baking 35-40 minutes. I found it needed a little more time than that to ensure the sides of the tart obtained the crisp structure you expect
This dish makes a great side; it also makes for a great main course. Once it’s out of the oven and had a chance to cool a bit, I added crumbled goat cheese and some fresh basil. An unintended result here was that with the Italian herbs and Parmesan in the crust, the tomatoes, basil, and goat cheese evoke your idea of what Tuscan dining is all about. Oh, and a drizzle of Meyer Lemon olive oil doesn’t hurt.
Living alone, I do like to share with my neighbors, especially when a dish is just too large for one, even if it would make a couple of meals. Not only does the sharing bring joy, occasionally there’s some reciprocity.
Fresh figs! And, of course, they were just bagging for a bit of goat cheese, some chopped Pistachios, and honey. After I quartered the figs and added some cheese and Pistachios, I put them under the broiler for about 5 minutes to soften the cheese and the figs, then drizzled with honey. Dessert, anyone???
Well, that was a good part of my day. I’d not complain if every summer day was as enjoyable. Enjoy, and take advantage of the season’s bounty. Bon appetit!!!
never 2 old 2 start cooking 
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