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Cherry Tomato Tart with an Olive Crust

I see the artistry as well as the seasonal nature of Chef Yann Nury’s cherry tomato tart. The picture of him sketching the cherry tomato tart in the New York Times article is stunning. Now I wish I can draw as well as he does. Besides the artistic rendering of the tart, his version differs by how the cherry tomatoes are nestled tightly in an olive-oil-based crust. It’s inspired, in part, by the version his mother made when he was growing up in the Ardèche region of southeast France.

The cherry tomato tart may appear and sound complicated; it is actually easier to put together than I’ve expected. In fact, the olive oil crust is one of the easiest and foolproof tart crusts I’ve worked with. The ingredients include: olive oil, yeast, all-purpose flour, wheat flour, and salt. These are everyday ingredients you can mix together without the use of a food processor or a mixer. Just get two bowls. One for the dry and one for the wet ingredients. Mix them well and knead the dough to a smooth consistency. The chef reminds us that the less you work the dough, the flakiest it gets.

Give it some time to rise. After that, you can spread out the dough with your fingers around the base and up the rim of a 12-inch tart pan. See the link below to see how Chef Nury, the pro does it — with ease and grace.

Make the tomato coulis by roasting cherry tomatoes, red onion and dry oregano until the tomatoes are slightly browned. Next, use an immersion blender and blend the roasted tomatoes with a tablespoon of Dijon mustard. The mustard-flavored cherry tomato coulis forms the base of the tart. There might be more tomato coulis than you need; I’m more than happy to use the excess to flavor any pasta dishes. The key here is the mustard which imparts sharp flavor to the sweet and acidic notes of the tomatoes.

Finally, the art project —— in arranging the topping, which sets this cherry tomato tart apart from any other tarts. Bring your inner artist into it and arrange as many cherry tomatoes in tight concentric circles as you can. Meanwhile, if artistry is an overarching quality, patience and mindfulness are probably the next best things to bring!

Print Recipe

Cherry Tomato Tart with an Olive Crust

Ingredients

3 pounds cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 red onion
Dried oregano to taste
FOR THE OLIVE CRUST:
150 grams all-purpose flour
150 grams whole wheat flour
100 grams warm water
100 grams olive oil
12 grams dry instant yeast (or 24 grams fresh yeast)
10 grams salt

Instructions

Lightly brush a 12-inch round metal tart pan with olive oil.

MAKE THE DOUGH: Mix the warm water, olive oil and yeast in a small bowl until completely incorporated. Combine the salt and flour in a medium bowl. Add the liquid to the flour mixture, first mixing with a fork or wooden spoon and then kneading by hand until smooth.

Place the dough in the oiled pan and spread it evenly with your fingers to the edge of the pan. Cover with a towel and let sit for one hour.

Partially bake the crust at 400°F for 20 minutes. Fit a piece of parchment or foil against the crust and fill with dried or ceramic beans. Carefully remove the paper and weights and bake for another 4 minutes, until just firm; it shouldn't take on much color.

MAKE THE COULIS: Slice the onion and toss it with a half pound of the cherry tomatoes and enough olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with a bit of dried oregano and roast on a sheet pan at 450°F until the tomatoes are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly, then, using a blender, purée with 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard until smooth. Taste and adjust salt.

FILL THE TART: Slice the remaining tomatoes into halves. Spread a thin layer of the tomato mustard coulis onto the dough, adding an additional pinch of oregano to taste. Arrange the halved tomatoes atop the dough, packing them as tightly as possible. Drizzle with olive and sprinkle with sea salt.

BAKE: Bake at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the tomatoes are slightly charred. Serve warm, as is or finished with a bit of lemon zest, a few torn basil leaves, some shaved Parmesan and a sprinkle of capers or your favorite caviar.