Rustic Heirloom Tomato Tart

I have been making this recipe for almost twenty years and I still love it. This rustic heirloom tomato tart is one of the dishes I look forward to every summer. It’s simple and so delicious.

I originally posted this sort of recipe back in the very early days of writing this blog.  It seems fitting that this would be one of the longest lived recipes on the blog as it has been a family favorite since before we made 1840 Farm our home.  Back then, we purchased ripe tomatoes from the local farmer’s market to make this tart.  Now that we plant our own garden, we look forward to this rustic tart topped with our homegrown heirloom tomatoes.

The combination of flavors in this dish is perfectly balanced.  The acidity and earthiness of the tomatoes is the star, but the creamy ricotta and bright basil accent it deliciously.  Over the years, I have made a few simple adjustments to that original recipe.  I’ve simplified it and made a rustic recipe that is much quicker to pull together after a long day of working in the garden.  The end result is just as delicious and the time involved to create this beautiful dish is cut in half.

I hope that you’ll give this simplified version a try.  You can also view the original version and learn about how we began our tomato growing journey back in the early days of living here at 1840 Farm.  In those days, we harvested well over 100 pounds of homegrown heirloom tomatoes every summer.  More importantly, we ate and enjoyed every last bite!

If this recipe caught your attention, you might want to try…

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Rustic Tomato Tart

Jennifer from 1840 Farm

I use both slicing tomatoes and cherry tomatoes when making this recipe depending on what I have harvested from the garden. If the tomatoes are ripe and delicious, this dish will follow suit. I like to make homemade bread crumbs using the leftover bits in a bag of pita chips or crackers for the crust in this recipe. I save up those pulverized bits at the bottom of the bags until I have plenty and give them a spin in the food processor or blender or simply crush them with a rolling pin before using. Prepared bread crumbs or panko are also delicious.

Author: Jennifer from 1840 Farm

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound heirloom tomatoes , sliced ½” thick
• 1 ½ cups breadcrumbs (see note above)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese , grated
• 12 ounces ricotta cheese
• 2 ounces mozzarella cheese , grated
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese , grated
• 1 large egg
• 2 Tablespoons fresh basil , sliced into thin ribbons or chopped
• olive oil for brushing
• salt and pepper
• balsamic glaze for serving (if desired)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the tomatoes into thick slices. Place them in a colander and allow some of the juice to drain away as you prepare the other ingredients.
• Prepare the crust by combining the crumbs and olive oil until the crumbs are evenly moist. You can use a food processor or simply combine them in the pie plate or baking dish you plan to use for baking. I like to use a glass or ceramic pie pan for baking as I have many of those in the farmhouse kitchen. You can also use a small casserole dish of similar size that is oven safe to 450 degrees.
• Press the crumb and olive oil mixture evenly in the pan covering the bottom of the pan and at least the bottom half inch of the sides. Sprinkle one tablespoon of the grated Parmesan cheese over the bottom of the crumb crust.
• In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and egg. Whisk until completely smooth. Add basil, salt, and pepper before mixing gently to combine.
• Carefully transfer the ricotta mixture to cover the crumb crust. Add the heirloom tomato slices on top of the ricotta mixture, overlapping where needed to fully cover the top. Drizzle the top of the tart with bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place the pan on a baking sheet and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the tomatoes are beginning to dry slightly and the ricotta mixture has become firm and light golden brown at the edges.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Cut into slices or simply use a large serving spoon to transfer the warm tart to your dinner plate. Garnish with balsamic glaze or additional salt and pepper if desired. Leftovers are equally delicious served cold or room temperature on the following day.

Tried this recipe?Mention @1840Farm or tag #1840FarmFood! We can’t wait to see what you make!