GOAT CHEESE TOMATO TART

I make this tart once a year. I don’t know why, because I should make it more often. It’s best to make it late summer, when the tomatoes are perfect. I’ve never written down this recipe, I just make it up as i’m putting it together. I’ve decided to stop that nonsense and share it. One note: you can always use a pre-made pie crust, however, “from scratch” is much better. I’m including my go-to crust from Cook’s Illustrated. It’s never let me down. This pie crust makes two crusts, you can save one for later by popping it in your freezer.

Pie Crust (Cook’s Illustrated)

2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons sugar

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces

1/4 cup cold vodka

1/4 cup cold water

Instructions:

1. Process 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.
2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days. You can also freeze for up to month for later use.

Goat Cheese Filling:

5.25 oz log Herb and Garlic Goat Cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup Heavy Cream or Half and HalfC

1 TBSP. Cream Cheese

1 Egg

1/2 Grated White Cheddar Cheese

1/2 TSP. Salt

1/2 TSP. Black Pepper

1 Tomato, halved and thinly sliced

Salt and Pepper for garnish

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Roll out one of the pie dough discs to roughly 9-10 inches. Press in 10 inch tart pan , there should be some overhang. Poke holes in crust and freeze for 20 minutes.
3. Spray a 12 inch piece of foil with non-stick cooking oil. Place on chilled pie shell. Place pie weights or pennies or dried beans on top of foil, so pie crust won’t bubble up. This is called blind baking. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove shell from oven and lift foil off crust. Place partially baked crust in oven for another 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.
4. Lower oven temp. to 350 degrees.
5. While crust is baking make the filling. In a medium mixing bowl combine everything but the tomatoes. Blend until fluffy, it should look like really thick whipped cream. Pour into baked crust. Make sure it’s even. Gently place the tomatoes on top of the filling in a circular pattern. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes until filling has set.