Falling somewhere between pizza and quiche, a tomato and mozzarella tart shares the flavors of both but with a unique problem: Some sort of pastry crust is required, but the moisture in the tomatoes can make it soggy. We set out to make a tart that would have a solid bottom crust and great vine-ripened flavor. For a perfectly flaky but rigid crust, we used a two-step baking method—we parbaked the unfilled crust until golden and then baked it again once the topping had been added. Waterproofing the crust with egg wash and using two kinds of cheese in layers prevented sogginess. We also salted the sliced tomatoes for 30 minutes and then gently pressed them with paper towels to remove excess juice. For the best flavor, use authentic Parmesan cheese and very ripe, flavorful tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 (9½ by 9-inch) sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
- 2 plum tomatoes, cored and sliced ¼ inch thick
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay puff pastry in center of parchment and fold over edges of pastry to form ½-inch-wide crust. Using paring knife, cut through folded edge and corners. Brush edges with egg. Sprinkle Parmesan evenly over crust bottom, then poke uniformly with fork. Bake until crust is golden brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on wire rack.
- Meanwhile, spread tomatoes over several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and let drain for 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over cooled crust bottom. Press excess moisture from tomatoes using additional paper towels. Shingle tomatoes evenly over mozzarella. Whisk olive oil and garlic together, then drizzle over tomatoes. Bake until cheese has melted and shell is deep golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Let cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Gently slide tart onto cutting board, sprinkle with basil, slice, and serve.
