Heirloom Tomato Tart

Here’s an absolutely delicious and super easy tart featuring stunning heirloom tomatoes and fresh basil. A quick word of advice, the frozen puff pastry needs to thaw in the fridge overnight so plan ahead.

Start with delicious of heirloom tomatoes. Choose a variety of differing colors and sizes.

You’ll also need a savory cream cheese spread (or Boursin cheese) and a package of frozen puff pastry that’s been allowed to thaw in the refrigerator overnight (don’t be temped to skip this step).

Unfold the thawed pastry and press the folds flat. Use a pastry docker (or fork) to poke holes over the pastry.

You’ll be able to fit 1 and 2/3 sheets of puff pastry dough on one half sheet pan (reserve the remaining 1/3 sheet of puff pastry for another use). Place the 2 pieces of pastry together and use a little water and your fingers to press the seam together to make one large sheet of puff pastry. Pop in the fridge to chill while you prepare your tomatoes.

Cut the tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices using a serrated knife (or tomato knife); set aside. Don’t worry if the juice and seeds fall out of the cut tomatoes.

Stir the savory cream cheese (or Boursin) to soften. Use an offset spatula to spread it evenly all over the chilled pastry, leaving a thin border around the edges.

Arrange the sliced tomatoes artfully over the cream cheese layer. It’s ok to overlap slightly, but not too much. I like to place the largest slices on first, then fill in with the smaller ones. DO NOT salt the tomatoes yet (we’ll do that after baking). Brush the tomatoes with garlic oil (or extra virgin olive oil) and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown around the edges.

Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes (or up to several hours). Brush the entire tart, including the pastry, with a little more garlic oil.

Just before serving, sprinkle tomatoes with fleur de sel (or flaked sea salt), freshly ground black pepper, and fresh basil leaves. Cut with a sharp knife and serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• frozen puff pastry https://amzn.to/3HHzIwg

• Boursin https://amzn.to/3Lr64xp

• garlic oil https://amzn.to/3oGrqgp

• half sheet pan https://amzn.to/3JkoiyI

• parchment sheets https://amzn.to/3gE2HFh

• tomato knife https://amzn.to/2XYZdSx

• offset spatula https://amzn.to/3sxrkcd

• dough docker https://amzn.to/3LnNm9X

• pastry brush https://amzn.to/3Jo67Zd

• fleur de sel (French sea salt) https://amzn.to/2Le4iEP

• my favorite oil sprayer https://amzn.to/3LswsHa

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Heiroom Tomato Tart

makes 12 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 package (17.3 oz) frozen puff pastry, thawed overnight in the refrigerator

• 8 ounces onion and chive cream cheese spread (or Boursin), room temperature

• 2 pounds heirloom tomatoes in a variety of colors and sizes (the more, the better)

• garlic infused olive oil (or extra virgin olive oil), for drizzling

• fleur de sel (French sea salt) and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 10-20 fresh basil leaves (depending on their size)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F, place rack in center position, and line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. Unfold the first puff pastry sheet onto the parchment paper and gently press with a rolling pin to flatten fold lines (keep in mind, the sheet pan will hold 1 and 2/3 sheets of puff pastry side-by-side).

3. Repeat with the 2nd puff pastry sheet (trim away 1/3 of the 2nd pastry sheet and reserve for another use); place both pastry sheets as close together as possible without overlapping and use water to gently glue and press the two pieces to gather to form one large pastry sheet.

4. Use a fork or dough docker to poke holes over the surface of the puff pastry; place sheet pan in fridge to allow the pastry to chill while you prepare the tomatoes.

5. Slice tomatoes into 1/4-inch slices (a variety of colors and diameters look very nice on the tart (don’t worry if the seeds and jelly fall out of the slices).

6. Remove puff pastry from refrigerator; stir the onion and chive cream cheese to soften and use an offset spatula to spread an even layer all over the prepared puff pastry, leaving a thin border around the edges.

7. Artfully arrange the tomatoes slices on the tart - slight overlapping is okay, but try to keep a single layer for the most part (I like to start with the largest slices, then fill in with smaller ones).

8. Brush or spray tomato slices with oil just before placing the tart in the hot oven; bake for 20-25 minutes until pastry edges puff nicely and turn golden brown.

9. Remove tart from oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes (or up to several hours).

10. Just before serving, brush entire tart with a little more oil (tomatoes and pastry), sprinkle tomatoes with fleur de sel (French sea salt), freshly ground black pepper, and top with fresh basil leaves (don't add basil while tart is warm, it will wilt and discolor).

11. Slice with a sharp knife and serve.

Italian Pine Nut Cookies

By far, the most popular cookie recipe among my extended family during the holidays. These chewy pinoli cookies are completely bursting with deep almond flavor. Pine nuts (pinoli) are pricy, but they’re such an excellent compliment in both texture and flavor, they’re worth using. If you want to be frugal, just place the pine nuts on the top of the cookies before baking; if you want to be decadent, roll the entire ball of cookie dough in the nuts before baking. Pine nuts are highly perishable so be sure to store them in an airtight container in the freezer.

Start with a bowl of pine nuts (try not to eat them before you make the cookies).

You’ll also need egg whites, confectioners sugar, and a pinch of fine salt.

And the star ingredient, pure almond paste (not marzipan). Canned almond paste is best…

But there are some packaged almond pastes that are ok - squeeze the package to see if the paste inside is soft. This brand uses a foil-wrapping inside the box. There are also foil-wrapped logs available that are usually ok, but I find the clear cellophane-wrapped logs are usually hard and dried out. Avoid hard almond paste if you can.

Here you can see the 2 different brands are 2 different colors, but that’s okay - the food processor is going to take care of that in no time.

Place the almond paste in the food processor (here’s the one I use) and pulse on and off until it resembles coarse sand.

The sight of ground almond paste makes me happy!

Add the confectioners sugar and salt to the ground almond paste.

Pulse a few more times until the confectioners sugar disappears, then add the egg white and process until a smooth paste forms.

I like to transfer the paste to a smaller container which makes it easier to work with. Use a #60 scoop (about 1 tablespoons) to portion out the sticky cookie dough.

Roll the dough in the pine nuts.

Place the pine nut coated balls of dough on a silicone lined half sheet pan and press the balls slightly so the pine nuts stick after baking.

Bake the cookies for 20 minutes and allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container for up to a week (best eaten within 3 or 4 days).

Items needed to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• digital scale https://amzn.to/3GGecXk

• #60 scoop https://amzn.to/3sD9vZw

• pure almond paste https://amzn.to/3suD1QU

• pine nuts https://amzn.to/3gELM5A

• silicone liners https://amzn.to/3Be5DBT

• commercial half sheet pans https://amzn.to/3JkoiyI

• my food processor https://amzn.to/3F4PYsw

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Italian Pine Nut Cookies (Pinoli)

makes 60 cookies (#60 scoop)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds (680 grams) canned pure almond paste (not almond filling or marzipan)

• 1 1/3 cups (150 grams) confectioners sugar

• 3 large (90 grams) egg whites, room temperature

• pinch of salt

• 1/2 pound (227 grams) pine nuts (aka pinoli)

• optional: confectioners sugar for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325F, place rack in center position, and line 2 half sheet pans with silicone liners.

2. Pulse almond paste in food processor until it resembles crumbs.

3. Add confectioners sugar and salt; pulse until it resembles sand.

4. Add egg whites and processes until a fine paste forms.

5. Use a #60 scoop to portion dough; roll in pine nuts and place on half sheet pan (12 per pan).

6. Flatten each ball of dough slightly and bake for 20 minutes; rest for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

7. Dust with additional confectioners sugar if desired.