Savory Tomato Basil Tart (Printer-friendly)

Golden pastry layered with tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil on a flaky crust.

# What you'll need:

→ Crust

01 - 1 sheet ready-made puff pastry (about 9 oz), thawed if frozen

→ Filling

02 - 3–4 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced (about 14 oz)
03 - 5 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
04 - 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 1/2 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream
07 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
08 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
09 - 1 tbsp olive oil
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out puff pastry and line a 9-inch tart pan, trimming excess. Prick base thoroughly with fork.
02 - Spread Dijon mustard evenly over pastry base.
03 - Whisk egg, crème fraîche, half the Parmesan, chopped basil, salt, and pepper. Pour over pastry base.
04 - Arrange mozzarella slices evenly, then layer tomato slices. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle remaining Parmesan.
05 - Bake 30–35 minutes until pastry is golden brown and filling is set.
06 - Cool slightly before garnishing with additional fresh basil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of flaky pastry and creamy custard is pure comfort food
  • It looks stunning but requires almost no active cooking time
  • Perfect for using up an abundance of summer tomatoes
02 -
  • Salt your tomato slices for 10 minutes and pat them dry to prevent a soggy bottom crust
  • The tart must cool for at least 10 minutes or the custard will not hold its shape when sliced
  • This tart is best served the same day but can be reheated gently at 150°C for 10 minutes
03 -
  • Use a rimmed baking sheet under your tart pan to catch any butter drips
  • Brush the pastry edges with beaten egg for an extra golden finish

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