Many food blogs and recipe books – including Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, my current favourite – use ready-made pastry… Personally, I love making my own pastry; it’s quick and has no strange additives in it. But I thought maybe I should try some of the store-bought stuff, just for the sake of satisfying my curiosity.
Verdict: not bad at all! 😀
Tomato and Cheese Tart
Heat oven to 190°C. Slice 4 medium tomatoes thinly. Crush 2 cloves of garlic and mix with a little olive oil. Slice some brie, mozzarella, or whatever other cheese you have on hand. Roll out your pack of puff pastry and place on a sheet of greaseproof paper on a baking sheet. Fold in a centimetre (1/2 inch?) at each edge, so there’s a “rim”. Place the tomatoes (artistically!) on the tart. Dribble with the garlic oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, until the edges look light brown. Place the cheese slices on top and bake for another 5-10 minutes. Don’t let the pastry get too brown. Sprinkle some fresh torn basil leaves over the top and allow to cool a little before serving.
Delicious!
Do you use ready-made pastry?
I do believe it’s in the stores around here but I’ve never bought it. We call what you made a Pizza around here. They make them with all kinds of things anymore. Some very exotic indeed. I have one Pizza place that makes a wonderful veggie pizza and when I feel like one I call them up and have them deliver it. Since my kitchen is so small I have no room to roll out my own dough. But your post surely looks delicious as usual. I must remember never to open your food posts before dinner or I eat too much! 🙂 Many thanks.
Pizzas always have the traditional pizza bread dough as base here… probably because there are so many Italians in Germany! The advantage of making your own is that you can choose your topping and use up leftovers too! 😉
YUM!! That looks so good!
It was rather tasty, and the basil was the finishing touch! 😉
I do as I have never attempted making my own…I really should if I have time…but I have been having to eat gluten free for months so maybe attempting my own gluten free dough would be good too…this made my husband I drool as we had some of the best pizza in Italy and this reminded us of that…this is a great change up!
In Germany people still have to hunt health food stores for gluten-free ingredients, but I noticed in the UK the supermarkets have a large stock of them, so probably in the US too… I bet your own dough would taste better!
That looks very delicious! I may try it – but without garlic.
Former when our son still lived at home I sometimes baked “Pizza” mostly with home-made dough
but also with ready-made pastry.
It would be nice with any vegetable and cheese on top! 😀
I used to make my own pastry for fruit pies with tops and bottoms. Now I live in France I feel very intimidated by the fantastic open tarts they produce, both savoury and sweet. I think I’ll try your recipe with ready made pastry as it looks so good.
I agree – French tarts are wonderful. I remember a lemon tart the chef made in a hotel I worked in near Lyon. It was perfect!
This sounds so good, I might have to go eat breakfast.
I can hear someone’s tummy rumbling… 😉
Looks Yummy and healthy! Did you find your pastry in the refrigerator section or freezer? This is a good recipe for quick work week dinners thanks Cathy!
This was the refrigerator one… I also bought a freezer one, which I will try soon. But then I’ll probably go back to making my own, as I read the incredibly long ingredients list on the packet… 😉
Not bad at all 🙂 I nearly always have some filo and puff pastry in the freezer, nice and simple for when the brain is a bit fogged! Your cheesy tart looks outrageously good, all that oozing cheese….. YUM !
Yes, cheesy and quick are two of my favourite words when cooking! LOL!
It really looks good. I am with you, making pastry is not work to me.
I find it soothing and comforting rubbing my fingers through pastry flour! Like gardening with soily hands!
I just sighed out loud when that photo popped on the screen……. 😀 I don’t bake very often but when I do it’s a simple blueberry pie. I use ready-made frozen pastry. I would love to make my own. Do you have an easy recipe here that you could link me to? I’ll give it a go – you got me with the comment above “gardening with soily hands” 😀 Sharon
Hi Sharon! So you fancy getting floury hands?! 😉 I have never made puff pastry, but shortcrust – https://wordsandherbs.wordpress.com/2011/11/25/pumpkin-pie/
or flaky – https://wordsandherbs.wordpress.com/2012/08/16/country-fruit-pie-with-nectarines-and-berries/
Hope you try making your own. It really is therapeutic! 😀
Thank you so much! That’s exactly what I need. Wish me luck! 😀
Good luck – and have fun! 😉
This looks wonderful since it appears a bunch of my tomates will be ready at the same time this looks perfect for them! Thanks Again Cathy man was that spider something hope it was just a close up making him look that BIG
It was close up, but he was still fairly big! LOL! Enjoy your tomatoes Eunice!
I am waiting for them to all RIPEN ON THE VINE 🙂 tonight it will be 40 brrr after 80’s and 90’s all summer
It will be awesome I can tell by your photos 🙂
😀
Always using ready made pastry but still have major issues – hot hands is my excuse
It does make a difference if your hands are hot… also if you bake when you’re ill or have a temperature the results can vary dramatically! (Sounds odd, but it’s true!)
That looks delicious! I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve not rolled out a pastry dough since middle school (about 100 years ago). Your recipe looks delicious.
Hi there, Born to Organize! In the end it’s the taste that matters! The basil really made this good!
We’ve been growing basil all summer. It’s one of my favorites. I’ll have to give this a try.
That looks fantastic! I haven´t bought pastry yet and haven´t tried to make one myself. I normally use pizza dough. I´m not a fan of any ready-made doughs because of all the additives and whatnot that are added these days.
Pastry is nice for a change, and homemade is even better! 😉
Wow that’s really easy. Thanks for sharing this simple recipe.
I’m pleased you like it Jolyn! Thanks for your comment! 😀