I’m all about good tart recipes. If you’re looking for a classic savory tart recipe that will incorporate those veggies from your garden harvest, I think you’l love these tomato & goat cheese tarts. This old classic from Ina Garten is bound to become a family favorite!
We’re in the dog days of summer I’m afraid. The last couple of months have been extremely hot here in north Georgia. Our poor garden has needed watering daily, sometimes twice a day, just to make it through. Our tomatoes in particular had a rough start. We started them from seed and we didn’t get them planted in the ground quite as soon as we had hoped, so they’re not a full as they could have been. They’ve also had a couple battles with hornworms but survived. Thankfully, there’s several tomatoes growing on each plant. Fingers crossed that we’ll actually get to enjoy each tomato before hornworms get to them first!
Did you plant a garden this year? If so, how’s it going? With the plans to harvest our beefsteak tomatoes very soon, I’ve been lining up some of my favorite recipes that use tomatoes. One recipe I’ve been made several times this summer are these tomato and goat cheese tarts. They’re an old classic by Ina Garten. This recipe is from one of her older cookbooks (Back to Basics cookbook) that I’ve been using for years but only recently did I try these delicious tarts. This recipe calls for onions, tomatoes and fresh basil and thyme. It’s the perfect summer recipe for all the harvested veggies and herbs from your garden.
Ina's Tomato Goat Cheese Tarts
Ingredients
- 1 pkg. puff pastry, defrosted (2 sheets)
- 4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (about 2 lg. onions)
- 3 large garlic gloves, cut into thin slivers
- 3 Tbsp. dry white wine (I use pinot grigio)
- 2 tsp. minced fresh thyme leaves
- 4 Tbsp. freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese
- 1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
- 3 Tbsp. julienned basil leaves
- 2 ounces parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler
Instructions
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Unfold a defrosted sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 x 11 inch square. Using a 6 -inch-wide saucer or bowl as your guide, cut 2 circles from the sheet of pastry. Repeat this process with the second sheet of puff pastry. You should have 4 circles in all. Discard the scraps pastry or use in another recipe.
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Place the 6 inch pastry cut-outs onto 2 cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
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Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Sauté for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and the thyme. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.
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Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide-border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.
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Place one-quarter of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of parmesan on each tart.
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Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The bottom sheet pan may need an extra few minutes in the oven. Serve hot or warm.
Recipe Notes
The tarts can be stored in a Ziplock bag or on a plate with foil in your fridge for a couple of days after baking. Tarts can be made ahead in the morning and kept in the fridge until you bake them. If making ahead, be sure to cool the onion mixture before building your tarts.
I’ve loved being able to use onions, basil, and thyme from our garden for this recipe. Our onions turned out a bit small this year, which I believe was due to the extremely dry weather we had at the start of summer followed by the month long rain fall, so I had to incorporate some store bought onions as well. Nevertheless, these tarts are always so yummy. They make a fantastic appetizer or you’re welcome to enjoy them all on their own. If we ever have leftovers I like to enjoy it for lunch with a bowl of soup. Honestly, these things are so good I’d eat one for dessert!
I’d love to hear what you’ve been cooking this summer with your garden harvest. Soon we’ll be bringing in our watermelons, and I can’t wait to share a snapshot of just how cute they are with you! I had great plans to share our little garden this spring, but it took us so much longer than expected to complete. We’re hoping to build two more boxes this fall, so I’ll be sure to share that with you here. I hope you have a great week, friends and happy cooking! 
Amanda,
These look delicious. I have most of Ina’s books but have never tried this recipe. I plan to give it a go later this week.
As a Californian, I rely on tacos and salads for simple summer meals. It’s been hotter than usual here the past 2 weeks and I’m ready for autumn.
Karen B.