We had an early tomato appearance at our house last week. I normally wait until May or June before buying the first of many tomatoes; but, they looked so pretty at the store that I could not refuse. I love heirloom tomatoes not only because of their amazing sugary sweet taste or their juicy texture; also, because they are not perfect. I love the different shapes, sizes, bumps, lumps and many colors. As soon as I saw these two odd shaped yellow and red ones I knew they were coming home with me.
I had help making this tart. No, not Lenny; that would have warranted a video to entertain you. I had E & M of MEM. I mentioned to them that I was going to make a tart out of tomatoes and their interest was definitely peaked. The girls have really taken on a huge interest in food and cooking, especially Ella. I have to say I admire her many questions and the desire to learn. She was there every step of the way, from lining the tart pan, to mixing the filling, to layering the tomatoes and then on to photographing even before sampling. She helped with setting up the tart on different plates until we got it just right as well she waited with anticipation after every click of the camera – wanting to see the picture, to make sure they were okay. Maggie, was not far behind, trailing after her big sister and wanting to do just as she was doing. Now we know we have some foodies in training; but, maybe there is a career of photography lurking also! It was definitely fun to have help making this tart, especially 20 little fingers and two big smiles!
The base of this tart is a slightly peppery and flaky crust. We made a goat cheese based custard filling for the base of the tart and then layered slices of the beautiful heirloom tomatoes over the top. Tomatoes and goat cheese are not complete without a drizzle of good olive oil and a sprinkling of maldon salt and fresh thyme from the garden. Serve this with a mixed green salad lightly dressed with white balsamic and olive oil, as well as a nice of Rose! Perfect! The girls even loved the taste of the tart!
How do you like to use your Heirloom Tomatoes?
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