I have no recollection of Canada Day celebrations when I was growing up and I think it’s because our summers were like one extended family picnic. Week days were spent at the beach and weekends and holidays were for family day trips to St. Andrews, New River Beach, or Deer Island.
These trips always involved great picnics, especially the New River Beach days. We were often with our cousins and there were mounds of food. We’d have sandwiches and hard boiled eggs for lunch but then our moms would cook great feasts around fire pits for supper. One year when I was too young to remember mom said the older kids caught crabs at low tide and they cooked them over the fire. Sometimes we boiled periwinkles.
Although this recipe for tomato tart doesn’t travel well it is perfect for summer celebrations. I discovered this recipe up at our family cottage, stuffed into a little recipe tin. Mom clipped it out of the Globe & Mail years ago.
This tart especially good when local tomatoes are in the market. In the meantime any good tomatoes will do, including cherry tomatoes.
We have eaten it as a nibble while cooking supper but it is also delicious as a first plate, along with some dressed greens. The pastry is delectable and freezes well.
Fresh Tomato Tart
Goat Cheese Pastry:
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½ cup soft, unripened goat cheese (fresh chevre)
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½ cup cold butter, cut into pieces
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1 ¼ cups flour
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¼ tsp salt
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1 tsp dried herbs (Herbes de Provence, oregano or thyme)
Topping:
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2-4 Tbsp. prepared pesto
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4 in-season tomatoes, thinly sliced, or a big handful of cherry tomatoes, halved.
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Good quality olive oil (lemon infused olive oil is perfect)
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¼ cup chopped fresh basil
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Freshly ground pepper
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Combine dry ingredients and work in cheese and butter with your fingers or a pastry blender. It will come together without too much effort after you turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Work the dough just until smooth, pat it into a disk then chill for 30 min.
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Preheat the oven to 400 F. Roll out the dough into a pie-crust-thin rectangle and lay on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until it’s a little golden on the edges.
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Cool slightly, spread with pesto and dress with sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle over chopped basil and drizzle with olive oil. Season with pepper.
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Cut into squares (a pizza cutter works well) and serve.
I go through a lot of goat cheese so to make it affordable I always buy Woolrich brand from Costco. New Brunswick-made goat cheese is excellent but far to dear to bake with.
This sounds soooooo good. I love goat cheese….will have to give this a try!!
Hi Bridget, This looks so good! I hope you don't mind that I linked to this recipe and photo in my collection of tomato recipes from fellow Canadian food bloggers. You can see it here with full credit to you at http://www.gettystewart.com/tomato-recipe-collection/. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
All the best, Getty
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