Rustic Tomato-Ricotta Tart – a light, tender, buttery tart/pie with a creamy filling of ricotta and fresh seasonal tomatoes!
I love participating in different cooking/baking competitions online whenever I can and I have been fortunate enough to win in some! The different themes that these contests come up with is sometimes so innovative and mindboggling, it awakens my creative culinary juices!
This time, it was a contest on my favorite site “BetterButter.in”, a wonderful platform for home chefs and food bloggers like me to showcase our creativity! The theme was “Tomato-Chilli Tango”. We had to come up with innovative recipes highlighting tomatoes or chilies as the main ingredient!
I love baking, so with a big basket of fresh tomatoes just procured, my choice was to make another pie like my super delicious and super easy to make “Apple Pie/Tart”! So Ricotta-Tomato Tart/Pie it was.
HOW DO YOU MAKE TOMATO TART/PIE?
Every pie/tart has to have a super flaky and tender crust and a gorgeous, mouthwatering filling, either savory or sweet.
TO MAKE A SUPER FLAKY, MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH CRUST:
The basic crust I love is lots of butter in a flaky crust! I like to add some of my favorite dried herbs like Pizza seasoning, oregano, basil etc. to add another flavor dimension!
Once you make the quick crust dough, you have to chill it to set the butter. Then, just line your favorite pie/tart pan with rolled pie dough. I have used a loose-bottomed tart pan but you can use a regular pie pan too.
To avoid a soggy bottom and add another flavor dimension to the pie, slather the bottom layer of the pie crust with some mustard sauce or Dijon mustard. This step is totally optional.
THE FRESH RICOTTA-TOMATO FILLING:
To make the filling, my go-to ingredient to nestle these gorgeous fresh, juicy tomatoes was going to be creamy ricotta cheese. If you cannot find store-bought ricotta cheese, you can make your own; either homemade paneer (Indian cottage cheese which you can then blend to form a creamy cheese) or make fresh ricotta cheese. Head on over here to find out how.
I love to add more cheese to anything, so in went some freshly grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheese along with some fresh herbs like cilantro and freshly ground pepper.
BAKING THE PIE/TART:
You will have to prebake or par-bake the crust before cooling it and then filling it with the ricotta cheese mixture. This ensures a super crispy crust without all the moisture from the fresh tomato making it soggy!
Layer freshly sliced tomatoes (after removing some moisture by dabbing with paper towels) in any fashion you like over the ricotta filling and bake in a hot oven.
That is it! You are just minutes away from biting into a savory tomato pie with a super flaky, buttery, tender crust and a creamy filling!
Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy this for lunch, dinner or at any party as a side dish.
Happy Baking!
By the way, this super delicious Rustic Tomato-Ricotta Tart won the FIRST PRIZE in a recent cooking competition on BetterButter.in for the theme "Tomato-Chilli Tango"! Check it out HERE. Now, you have to make it!
Here are some more of my prize-winning recipes:
- Saat- A flaky Mangalorean sweet
- Vegan Mushroom Masala
- Spicy Vegan Gobi Kurkuri
- Bhindi Kurkuri
- Chocolate Nutella Tart
- Carrot Cake Parfait among others!
Step-by-step method to make Tomato-Ricotta Tart:
TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
In a large mixing bowl, add flour, chilled cubed butter, basil leaves, pizza seasoning and salt.
Add the chilled butter pieces and mix with your fingers until the mixture forms coarse pea sized crumbs. You can do this in a food processor too (much faster) by pulsing the flour, spices, salt and cold butter or use a pastry cutter.
Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of chilled water and make a dough that comes together which is not sticky and that you can gather to form a ball. Do not handle the dough too much.
Cover in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for about 20 to 30 minutes.
PREPARE THE TART PAN:
Grease the bottom and sides of a loose-bottomed 9-inch pie/tart pan with butter.
Line the bottom with parchment paper and grease again. Keep aside.
PREPARE THE RICOTTA-TOMATO FILLING:
While the pastry dough is chilling, slice tomatoes into thin slices.
Place them in a single layer on paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle some salt over the tomato slices and then place another paper towel over the slices. Press slightly. This ensures that the paper absorbs extra moisture from the tomato and helps in keeping the bottom of the tart from turning soggy!
Keep this aside until the tart base is ready.
Mix ricotta/paneer cheese, Parmesan cheese, grated mozzarella, salt, black pepper powder and finely chopped coriander leaves in a small bowl. Set aside in the fridge.
TO PREPARE THE TART BASE:
Remove the chilled dough and on a floured surface, roll into a disc that is slightly larger than the bottom of the pie/tart pan.
Using rolling pin, gently lift the rolled dough and place on the pan.
Press along the edges of the pan to fit the dough to the bottom of the pan.
Crimp the sides to fit the pan. You need not be too perfect; a rustic look makes this tart look more gorgeous!!
Set in freezer for about 15 minutes until the oven is preheating.
TO BAKE THE TART:
Preheat oven to 425 F or 220 C.
Remove tart base from freezer, layer some dried beans over the base of the tart pan (you can use parchment paper if you want).
Bake in hot oven for 15 minutes until the edges are light brown.
Remove the dried beans and return to oven for 7 more minutes to set the bottom of the crust; this ensures a crispy crust base!
Cool the tart crust completely.
BAKING THE RICOTTA-TOMATO TART:
Once the tart crust is cool, preheat oven to 375 F/190 C.
Spread a thin layer of mustard sauce over the bottom of the crust. This seals the crust and avoids any soggy bottom!
Spoon the ricotta filling over this and spread evenly.
Place the tomato slices (as many as you want) over the filling. You can either place in a single layer like I have or arrange them all over the filling in an overlapped fashion.
Place in hot oven and bake tomato tart for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is light golden and the filling has set completely.
Remove and let cool completely.
Garnish with finely chopped cilantro/basil leaves and enjoy!
Slice and serve either at room temperature or you can warm the slices in a microwave oven for about 5 to 10 seconds, not more than that!
Happy Baking!
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Rustic Tomato-Ricotta Tart – a light, tender, buttery tart/pie with a creamy filling of ricotta and fresh seasonal tomatoes!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups maida/all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup butter, unsalted (cut into small pieces)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp basil leaves, dried
- ½ tsp pizza seasoning/Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese/mashed paneer
- ¼ cup grated/powdered Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
- Handful of finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
- 2 to 3 medium sized tomatoes, thinly sliced
- Pinch of salt
- 2 to 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard/Horseradish mustard
- Finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves and dried basil leaves for garnishing
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir flour, basil leaves, Pizza seasoning and salt with a whisk.
- Add the chilled butter pieces and mix with your fingers until the mixture forms coarse pea sized crumbs. You can do this in a food processor too (much faster) by pulsing the flour, spices, salt and cold butter or use a pastry cutter.
- Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of chilled water and make a dough that comes together which is not sticky and that you can gather to form a ball. Do not handle the dough too much.
- Cover in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Grease the bottom and sides of a loose-bottomed 9-inch pie/tart pan with butter.
- Line the bottom with parchment paper and grease again. Keep aside.
- While the pastry dough is chilling, slice tomatoes into thin slices.
- Place them in a single layer on paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle some salt over the tomato slices and then place another paper towel over the slices. Press slightly. This ensures that the paper absorbs extra moisture from the tomato and helps in keeping the bottom of the tart from turning soggy!
- Keep this aside until the tart base is ready.
- Mix ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, grated mozzarella, salt, black pepper powder and finely chopped coriander leaves in a small bowl. Set aside in the fridge.
- Remove the chilled dough and on a floured surface, roll into a disc that is slightly larger than the bottom of the pie/tart pan.
- Using rolling pin, gently lift the rolled dough and place on the pan. Press along the edges of the pan to fit the dough to the bottom of the pan.
- Crimp the sides to fit the pan. You need not be too perfect; a rustic look makes this tart look more gorgeous!!
- Set in freezer for about 15 minutes until the oven is preheating.
- Preheat oven to 425 F or 220 C.
- Remove tart base from freezer, layer some dried beans over the base of the tart pan (you can use parchment paper if you want).
- Bake in hot oven for 15 minutes until the edges are light brown.
- Remove the dried beans and return to oven for 7 more minutes to set the bottom of the crust; this ensures a crispy crust base!
- Cool the tart crust completely.
- Once the tart crust is cool, preheat oven to 375 F/190 C.
- Spread a thin layer of mustard sauce over the bottom of the crust. This seals the crust and avoids any soggy bottom!
- Spoon the ricotta filling over this and spread evenly.
- Place the tomato slices (as many as you want) over the filling. You can either place in a single layer like I have or arrange them all over the filling in an overlapped fashion.
- Place in hot oven and bake tomato tart for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is light golden and the filling has set completely.
- Remove and let cool completely.
- Garnish with finely chopped cilantro/basil leaves and enjoy!
- Slice and serve either at room temperature or you can warm the slices in a microwave oven for about 5 to 10 seconds, not more than that!
- Happy Baking!
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Angie's FiestaFriday along with co-hosts Jenny @ Apply To Face Blog., Jess @ Cooking Is My Sport, Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook and Judi @ cookingwithauntjuju.com
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Have fun cooking, eating and sharing!!!!
Made this for my daughter and her family. Huge hit. They all said it’s delicious
Awww 🙂 Thank you so much for your lovely feedback.
Made my day 🙂
Glad you all loved it! My family loves this too.
Oh this looks so tasty!
Thank you so much 🙂
I am not sure if I have tried savory tart, but this looks amazing!! I am glad you made it to this week's 250th Fiesta Friday party! Thank you for sharing and for being a part of this amazing party! x
Thanks so much 🙂 Love being a part of FF!
What a fabulous looking tart. I love savoury tarts and this one looks right up my street. I love the idea of making your own ricotta cheese too. Thank you so much for sharing with #FiestaFriday
Thanks so much Jenny 🙂 Excited and happy to be part of Fiesta Friday!
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I made my first tomato tart after watching a demonstration by Chef Gale Gand. Lots of cheesy goodness and tomatoes! Thanks for sharing with Fiesta Friday #250.
Thank you so much Judith 🙂 Happy Fiesta Friday!