Made with ripe cherry tomatoes and fragrant herbs, this tart is both delicious and beautiful. It comes from Beth Elon's article "Dinner in the Piazza" (October 2009), about the annual midsummer communal feast held in the hilltop town of Buggiano, in northern Tuscany.
Ingredients
- 2 (9" x 11") sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed and chilled
- 1⁄2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 anchovy filets in oil, drained and finely chopped
- 3 lb. cherry or grape tomatoes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1⁄4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh oregano
- Freshly grated nutmeg
Instructions
Step 1
Heat oven to 375°. Fit pastry sheets side by side into a parchment paper–lined 13" x 17 3⁄4" rimmed baking pan, pressing pastry against bottom and sides. Trim inner edges of pastry sheets so that they form a seam in center; trim pastry hanging over sides of pan. Prick bottom of pastry with a fork. Line bottom and sides of pastry with parchment paper and fill with dried beans. Bake until edges of tart are golden, 25 minutes. Remove beans and parchment paper, sprinkle Parmesan over tart shell, and bake until cheese is melted and tart shell is golden all over, 15–20 minutes. Transfer to a rack; let cool.
Step 2
Heat oven to broil and arrange a rack 4" from heating element. In a large bowl, mix together oil and anchovies; add tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Transfer tomato mixture to a rimmed baking sheet and broil, shaking pan once or twice, until tomatoes blister, 12–14 minutes. Let cool slightly. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tomato mixture to the prepared tart shell; distribute tomatoes evenly.
Step 3
Increase oven heat to 425°. In a medium bowl, combine the parsley, chives, oregano, and nutmeg; sprinkle herb mixture evenly over the tomatoes. Return tart to oven and bake until hot, about 15 minutes. Let tart cool slightly before serving.
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