This Southern Tomato Tart recipe bakes heirloom tomatoes into an easy, all-butter tart dough with a pimento cheese filling. The tart dough recipe is Aaron's Tart Dough from the Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat cookbook.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Resting time for dough:8 hourshrs
Total Time9 hourshrs15 minutesmins
Course: Brunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: best baked green tomato recipe, easy tomato tart recipe, heirloom tomato tart, pimento cheese, rustic tomato tart, tomato tart recipe
Servings: 10slices
Calories: 316kcal
Author: Whitney Reist | Sweet Cayenne
Equipment
9 or 10-inch tart pan
Ingredients
Tart dough:
1 ⅔cupall-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1teaspoongranulated sugar
¼teaspoonbaking powder
½teaspoonfine sea salt
8tablespoonsunsalted butter, cut into ½ cubes
6tablespoonsheavy cream
2-4tablespoonsice water
Tart filling:
3mediumtomatoes (about 1 pound), cut ¼-½ thick slices (I recommend heirloom or a low-acid tomato)
Salt for sprinkling
1cupprepared pimento cheese (I recommend the Jalapeno Pimento Cheese from Aldi)
1teaspoonDijon mustard
1largeegg, lightly beaten
2tablespoonsminced fresh basil
1tablespoonminced fresh dill
Olive oil
Coarse ground pepper
Instructions
The day before:
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a handheld mixer), whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Place the bowl and the paddle attachment in the freezer, along with a dish of the butter cubes for 20 minutes. Place the heavy cream and ice water in the fridge during this time.
Remove the bowl of dry ingredients to the mixer stand fitted with the chilled paddle attachment. Turn the speed to low, and slowly start to add in the butter cubes. Increase speed to medium-low and mix for 1-2 minutes until the butter chunks are about the size of broken walnuts.
Add the heavy cream to the dough and mix on low for about 30 seconds. The dough should bind up a bit, but still have shaggy parts. If it looks really dry, add a tablespoon of ice water. Get a chunk of dough in your hand and squeeze it. If it crumbles easily, add another tablespoon of water. If it holds together or just breaks into a few large chunks, it is done.
Flip the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. It will look like a mess, but don’t touch it. Use the ends of the plastic wrap to nudge everything together into a disc. Tightly twist the plastic around the dough, pressing it further into a disc, and refrigerate overnight.
The day of:
Layer tomatoes in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and set them aside to drain for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Place the disk of tart dough on a piece of parchment paper dusted with flour. Dust the top of the dough with a bit of flour, flour a rolling pin, and start to roll the dough out until a 9-inch tart pan can fit on top with about an inch of dough extending from the edge of the pan.
Carefully place the dough into the tart pan, and use your fingers to press it lightly yet securely into the sides of the pan. Roll your rolling pin over the top of the tart pan to cut off any overhang of dough. Place the pan in the freezer until ready to fill.
In a medium bowl, combine the pimento cheese, Dijon, egg, basil, and dill. Fold together thoroughly with a spoon or rubber spatula.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour into the bottom of the prepared tart pan with the dough. Spread the pimento cheese mixture over that.
Pat the tomatoes dry with paper towels, then arrange them in a pattern on top of the pimento cheese. Brush or spray a little olive oil on top (about a teaspoon), then sprinkle the tomatoes with coarse pepper (about a ½ teaspoon).
Place the tart on the prepared baking sheet, then bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the tart a quarter turn, then reduce heat to 400°F and bake for 15 minutes more. Rotate the tart another quarter turn, then reduce to 375°F and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the tart crust is golden brown. If the crust browns too quickly, lay a piece of foil on top and continue baking.
Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 30-45 minutes before removing the tart pan ring, slicing, and serving.
Leftover tart can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 375°F oven on a piece of parchment paper on a pan for 15-20 minutes.