Tomato Tart with Basil and Ricotta

From the recent Big Bad Wolf's booksale, I've bought this amazing book "Williams-Sonoma : Breakfast Comforts" and there are already dozens of recipes that I would really love to try. Almost all of the recipes are really great for brunch, and this is one of them. I've used some of my Homemade Ricotta Cheese, (refer to my previous post), to make Tomato Tart with Basil and Ricotta, recipe taken from this lovely book.

Juicy sweet, Cherry Tomatoes

My Homemade Ricotta Cheese

The recipe has given the option of making your own puff pastry or using store-bought. I have taken the easy way, by using the store-bought puff pastry. Please refer to the rolling and cut-out size in the recipe below when using homemade puff pastry. Since the one I bought are only 4" square in size, I have made mini tarts for individual serving, so I have skipped the part on rolling and cutting, and go straight to the ricotta filling.  

The filling is first made by mixing the Ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan cheese (I used Cheddar), egg, minced basil leaves, salt, pepper and grated nutmeg.
Prepare the puff pastry : Score a 1/2-inch border along the four sides of the pastry, taking care not to cut through the pastry. Score the border with diagonal marks about 1/2-inch apart. Pierce the pastry inside the border with a fork.
Spread the ricotta filling evenly inside the border, then top with the sliced tomatoes. Here I have used cherry tomatoes and arranged them in a fun pattern of flowers.
Drizzle some olive oil over the tomatoes and filling. Brush the border with some egg wash.

Bake until pastry is golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.  

Serve warm with some sprinkling of chopped fresh basil. I served this delicious tart with some fresh greens and more cherry tomatoes. The ricotta filling with bits of fresh basil and seasoned with salt, pepper and nutmeg is so yummy. A bite of the creamy filling with the cherry tomatoes, and the crispy light pastry is so good!

This definitely gets the Thumbs Up from the kids!

I'm linking this post with Little Thumbs Up, where the ingredient for this month is Tomato, organised by Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids and hosted by my little favourite DIY.

I'm sharing this too with :
Full Plate Thursday hosted by Miz Helen's Country Cottage
See Ya In The Gumbo hosted by Ms. enPlace

Tomato Tart with Basil and Ricotta
(adapted from "Williams-Sonoma : Breakfast Comforts", Rick Rodgers)
625gm puff pastry or purchased puff pastry
1-1/4 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I used Cheddar)
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil, plus chopped basil for garnish
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 large tomatoes, preferably heirloom
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit a 16-by-11-inch  rimmed baking sheet. Turn the baking sheet over, and place the parchment on the underside. Roll out the puff pastry on a floured work surface into a 16-by-11-inch rectangle about 1/8 inch (3mm) thick. Transfer the dough to the parchment paper. Refrigerate the dough on the baking sheet for 15 minutes. (I skipped this step as I've used store-bought puff pastry, size 4" square)
2. In a bowl, mix the ricotta, Parmesan, 1 of the eggs, the 3 tablespoons minced basil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the nutmeg. Set aside.
3. Using a serrated knife, slice the tomatoes into rounds about 1/2-inch thick. Shake out the majority of the seeds (don't worry if a few seeds remain). Place on paper towels to drain briefly. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper.
4. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator. Using a pizza wheel, trim the rough edges from the pastry. Using the tip of a small sharp knife, score a 1-inch (2.5cm) border inside the edges of the pastry, taking care not to cut through the pastry. Score the border with diagonal marks about 1 inch apart. Pierce the pastry inside the border with a fork. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly inside the border, then top with the tomato slices. Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and filling. In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg. Lightly brush the pastry border with some of the egg.
5. Bake until the pastry border has risen and is golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Let cool for 3-5 minutes. Cut the pastry into 8 equal pieces. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with chopped basil, and serve warm.

Variation : You can use just about any seasonal tomatoes, such as plum or cherry, adjusting the amount as needed to cover the ricotta filling.

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