Your fresh basil is a quintessential match with seasonal, vine-ripened tomatoes. Add creamy goats cheese and this is summer in a tart! Sangiovese is a very food friendly wine and with its natural acidity and moderate tannins, is a great combination with tomato dishes. As a medium bodied wine, it is also a great red to open on warmer days.
Ingredients
Parmesan Crust
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
4 – 5 tablespoons ice water
Weights or rice (for blind baking)
Goat Cheese Filling
170g mild goat cheese, at room temperature1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
pinch sea salt
For Assembly:
3 or 4, fresh medium heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced1 handful cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
small fresh basil leaves, for garnish
flake sea salt, for finishing
Instructions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 200°C. Get out a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom.
Step 2
Combine flour, salt, and grated cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Sprinkle the cubes of butter over the flour and pulse a few more times until the mixture is mostly fine crumbs with scattered pea size pieces of butter remaining. Drizzle in a few tablespoons of water then pulse. Continue adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together when you squeeze. Take care here to not add too much water, it shouldn’t be sticky or form a ball in the food processor.
Step 3
Tip the crumbly dough into your tart pan and press evenly into the bottom and up the sides. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes until firm.
Step 4
Crumple up a piece of parchment paper and lay it inside the crust, then fill with rice or baking weights, evenly dispersed.
Step 5
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the edges start to darken. Carefully lift out the parchment with the rice / weights then return the crust to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
Step 6
While the tart cools, mix the goat cheese and heavy cream in a bowl and stir well to combine, then stir in basil and salt. Spread into cooled tart shell.
Step 7
Just before serving, arrange fresh tomato slices on top of goat cheese. Sprinkle with flake salt and garnish with basil.
Step 8
Serve immediately at room temperature. Add some crusty bread and a fresh green salad and don’t forget a glass of Farm to Table Sangiovese!