As a Pennsylvanian, I take my tomatoes pretty seriously. I spent some time living in a part of the country where tomatoes aren’t that great, and let me tell you, these days I really appreciate my east coast summer tomatoes! I didn’t have it in me to put together my usual summer vegetable garden this year. It’s just been that kind of year! I’m sure you guys get it. But I got to craving some really good tomatoes recently, so I took a trip to the farmer’s market to pick up a few. This tart was perfect for them!
It’s my new favorite way to use summer tomatoes, perhaps even beating out tomato sandwiches and vegan BLTs.
What You’ll Need
You don’t need much to make this one!
Fresh tomatoes Salt & pepper Frozen puff pastry Raw cashews Water Lemon juice Garlic Fresh basil Fresh thyme
How to Make a Tomato Tart
First, slice and salt your tomatoes. To do this, arrange the slices on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle them with some salt. Let them sit for about 30 minutes. Salting your tomatoes will enhance the flavor and draw out some of the water, so they don’t get soggy when you bake the tart.
While the tomatoes sit, prepare your crust. Remember to take your puff pastry out of the freezer a couple hours before you get started, so it has time to thaw. Roll the pastry out into a large rectangle and press it into a baking sheet. Super important step: poke holes throughout the crust with a fork! This will keep your crust from turning into one big bubble when you bake it.
Pop the crust into the oven and set the timer for 15 minutes. Keep an eye on it — even with those holes you poked, it can still puff up a bit too much. If you see it starting to do this, just open the oven, poke it a few more times with the fork, and gently press down to flatten out the bubble. While the crust bakes, make the cashew cheese. Place some soaked raw cashews into a food processor bowl, along with some lemon juice, garlic, salt and water. Blend until smooth, then add in basil and thyme. Pulse the food processor a few times to chop the herbs.
After the crust has baked for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and slather the top with your cashew cheese. Blot your tomato slices with a paper towel and arrange them over the cheese.
Pop the tart back into the oven to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes. When the tart has finished baking, sprinkle the tomatoes with some black pepper. If you have any leftover fresh herbs, sprinkle them on top before serving.
Where can I find vegan puff pastry? Lots of commercial brands are vegan! Just check the ingredients list. I used Pepperidge Farm brand. What kind of tomatoes work best for this tart? Any kind! Want to make a pretty tart with colorful heirloom tomatoes? Go for it! Got some cherry tomatoes on hand? Use ’em! Just make sure they’re good. I highly recommend making this one during the summer months when tomatoes are in season and good quality ones are readily available. Leftovers and storage: This tart is best served right away, but if you have leftovers they’ll keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days. Save time the day of serving by making the cashew cheese a day or two in advance. Store it in a sealed container in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
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