Salting and draining fresh tomatoes before baking ensures a crisp, flaky crust in this savory tart recipe from the Dominican sisters of Heartland Farm in Pawnee Rock, Kansas. This recipe first appeared in our August/September 2013 Heartland issue with the story Sacred Ground.
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 1⁄2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 10 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
- 1 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1⁄2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1⁄3 cup ice-cold water
- 3 medium vine-ripe tomatoes, cored and sliced 1/4" thick
- 1⁄3 cup grated pecorino cheese
- 1⁄4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped basil
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Instructions
Step 1
Make the crust: Pulse flour, 1⁄2 cup cheddar, butter, 1 1⁄2 tsp. salt, and 1⁄2 tsp. pepper in a food processor into pea-size crumbles. Add water; pulse until dough comes together. Form dough into a flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap; chill 1 hour.
Step 2
Spread tomatoes in a single layer on a double thickness of paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and let drain for 1 hour. Blot dry with more paper towels.
Step 3
Heat oven to 425°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 14" circle about 1⁄6" thick. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Mix 3⁄4 cup cheddar, 1⁄4 cup pecorino, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly over crust, leaving a 1 1⁄2" border. Top with tomato slices, overlapping slightly. Season with black pepper, and sprinkle with scallions and basil. Fold overhanging crust up and over edge of filling. Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over top of filling and crust. Bake until golden brown, 40–45 minutes.
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