Tomato Parmesan Tart

Tomato Parmesan Tart

Here's one of my go-to recipes when I need to serve a vegetarian lunch or if I'm looking for a lighter meal that still feels like a little treat. Anything with pastry is a bit of an indulgence so this tart really isn't a sacrifice at all. Some sweet, fresh, very small, vine tomatoes were used for this particular tart but I usually use even smaller cherry tomatoes. What makes this tart work particularly well is to cut the tomatoes in half, keeping the cut sides up so that the skins act as little boats, keeping most of the tomato's juices stay contained and do not make the bottom crust soggy as it bakes.

The pastry on this occasion was also gluten free to accommodate another dietary restriction. I just used an all purpose gluten free flour blend that was made up of mostly brown rice and sorghum flour. Since a short crust is used in this recipe it actually worked pretty well and everyone enjoyed it.

Fresh is the key to this simple recipe. Tomatoes at their best and fresh chopped herbs is what really makes this easy recipe and of course, the best Parmesan cheese you can get your hands on. Try it for a weekend lunch or as a simple, delicious, appetizer course for a dinner party.

Tomato Parmesan Tart

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Tomato Parmesan Tart - perfect for a celebration lunch with a gluten free option for the pastry too. It would also make a simple light appetizer course for your next dinner party.

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (or gluten free flour)
• 1/2 cup very cold butter
• pinch salt
• 3 tbsp cold water (approximately)
• about 1 pound cherry tomatoes
• 4 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (oregano, chives, etc.)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a food processor, add the flour, salt and cold butter. Pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, then pulse in the water. The dough will probably still be crumby.
3. Press into the bottom and sides of a 9 inch tart pan. Chill while you prepare the tomato filling.
4. Cut the tomatoes in half. Place in a large bowl and add the herbs, Parmesan, olive oil, brown sugar, black pepper and a pinch of salt to season. Toss together well.
5. Arrange the tomatoes, cut side up in a single layer in the prepared crust. Spoon any leftover cheese and herbs in the bowl over the tops of the tomatoes.
6. Bake for about 40 - 45 minutes in the preheated 4oo degree F oven.
7. Serve with additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top. 

Tomato Parmesan Tart, ready for the oven.

Perfect Peach Pie

Perfect Peach Pie

Every year I look forward to making this pie. As a kid visiting southern Ontario on vacation with my family during peach season on the Niagara Peninsula, I remember stopping at roadside stands or even better a u-pick orchard, to get beautiful golden ripe peaches. Still warm from the summer sun, the sweet juice would run down your chin and neck as you bit into them. I fell in love with those peaches and every year look forward to peach season and the chance to make this amazing pie.

The pastry for the pie this year is a hybrid of two pastry recipes I often use. I sometimes struggle with the choice between butter pastry and the traditional shortening or lard based pie crusts I made as a kid. The butter pastry has great flavour but I still find I'm partial to  a super flaky shortening crust. In this case I decided to combine the two and I was very pleased with the result; buttery but still very flaky too.

You can adjust the amount of sugar in this recipe depending on the sweetness of the peaches. I don't like the filling in this pie to be overly sweet and overwhelm the natural flavor of the peaches. I hope to enjoy at least one more of these beautiful pies while summer peaches are still at their very best.

Perfect Peach Pie

For the pastry:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• ½ cup very cold butter cut in small cubes
• ½ cup very cold vegetable shortening cut in small cubes
• 1/3 cup ice water
• 2 tbsp white vinegar

Using a food processor or a pastry blender cut cold butter and shortening into flour, brown sugar and salt until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Small pieces of butter and shortening should still be visible. Pour vinegar into cold water then pour over the mixture and work in by tossing with a fork until dough begins to form. Use your hands as little as possible and work the dough as little as possible.

Divide dough into 2 balls, flatten into 2 rounds, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes. You can make your dough the previous day but make sure you take it out of the fridge for 10 minutes to warm slightly before rolling out.

Roll the dough into a 12 inch round and place in the bottom of a deep 10 inch pie plate. Push the dough into the corners and ensure that it is not stretched at all or it will shrink from the edge. Trim dough to edge of plate.

Roll the remaining dough round into 12 inch square-ish shape and cut that into 8 equal strips for the lattice crust top.

For the filling combine:

• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 rounded tbsp corn starch
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• Toss this dry mixture with
• 8-10 cups fresh peaches, peeled and thickly sliced
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• Juice of half a lemon

Toss all together until well combined and pour into prepared pie plate.

Place the remaining pastry strips on top of the peach mixture, interweaving them to form a simple lattice pattern. Tuck the ends of the strips under the edge of the bottom crust and crimp with a fork or your fingers to seal the pastry together.

Chill the pie in the fridge for about 20 minutes to a half hour before placing it on a cookie sheet (to catch any drips from the filling) in a preheated 400 degree F oven. Bake for 45 minutes at that temperature before covering the edges of the pie with strips of aluminum foil to prevent them from burning. 

Reduce heat to 375 degrees F and bake for an additional 30- 45 minutes or until the filling bubbles at the center. Allow to cool on a wire rack at room temperature for at least a couple of hours before serving.

NOTE: If your lattice crust begins to get too brown after you have covered the edges with aluminum foil but before the filling is bubbling, you can place a sheet of aluminum foil over the top during the last of the baking time if needed.

Apple Cinnamon Turnovers in Sour Cream Pastry

Makes 8 turnovers

Sour Cream Pastry

• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 cup butter cut in small pieces
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup cold water
• ½ tsp salt

Using a food processor or a pastry blender cut cold butter into flour and salt until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Small pieces of butter should still be visible. Pour sour cream and cold water over the mixture and work in by tossing with a fork until dough begins to form. Use your hands as little as possible and work the dough as little as possible. Divide dough into 2 balls, flatten into 2 rounds, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes. You can make your dough the previous day but make sure you take it out of the fridge for 10 minutes to warm slightly before rolling out.

Filling

• 4 large apples, peeled, cored and cut in wedges
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 1 ½ tsp cake flour (or corn starch)

Combine flour, cinnamon and brown sugar well. Add the apple wedges and melted butter and toss together well.
Roll the dough out in eight 6 inch squares. Divide apple filling and share among the 8 pastry squares placing it on one half of the square. Brush the edges of the pastries with an egg wash of 1 egg beaten together with 2 tbsp water or milk. Fold the pastry over the filling and press the edges together slightly to seal. Brush the tops of the pastries with the egg wash and sprinkle them with turbinado sugar if you like. Place the pastries on a parchment lined cookie sheet and chill for 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator before baking in a preheated 400 degree F oven for about 20 minutes until they are evenly golden brown. Delicious on their own or served warm with whipped cream or ice cream.