Le ricette preferite di Raffaele Merola

Tomato Tart

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Ralph loved Joan Sturm's great tomato tart, which is a wonderful appetizer or a simple accompaniment to a healthy salad designed as a main course. Serves 6.

Ingredients:

• Pastry:
  • 2-1/2 T. cold unsalted butter
  • 1/4 lb (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • pinch salt
  • 5 T. ice water
• Fillings:
  • 1 T. unsalted butter
  • 3 leeks (1/2 lb) white part only, diced
  • 1/3 cup water
  • salt
  • flour
  • fresh basil leaves, torn in pieces
  • 2-1/2 oz medium sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 large ripe tomatoes (plum tomatoes are good for this), cored, cut in 1/8 inch rounds
  • freshly ground pepper

Cooking Instructions:

• Pastry:

  Cut the butter into 1/4 inch cubes. Combine the flour, butter and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix ingredients well until butter cubes are coated with flour mixture. Add half of the water. Using 2 knives, cut through the mixture to disperse the water and reduce the size of the butter cubes. Add the remaining water, pouring it over the dry portions of the dough and contnue to cut until all the flour is damp.
  Gather the dough into a rough ball, then knead it very briefly to make certain the butter is well coated with flour. Form dough into a ball and dust with flour. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1-1/2 hours before rolling out. Then, roll the chilled dough on a well floured board into a 12 inch diameter circle.
  Place the dough on a cookie sheet and refrigerate until well chilled (or place in the freezer for a shorter time until well chilled but not frozen).

• Filling:

  Melt the butter in a saute pan, add the leeks and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for approx. 10 minutes, or until leeks are tender and the water has completely evaporated. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and let cool to room temperature.

• Completion:

  Preheat the oven to 400*.
  Remove the pastry from the refrigerator (or freezer) and, leaving it on the pan, dust the surface with flour. Sprinkle the leeks over the pastry leaving a 1-1/2 inch border. Scatter the basil over the leeks. prinkle the cheese evenly over the leeks and follow with more basil. Arrange the tomato slices over the top, forming a concentric circular pattern. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Fold the pastry border up over the edges of the tomatoes.

  Bake about 50 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve warm.

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