Roasted Tomato Tart with Goat Cheese and Black Olives

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Remember those tomatoes you roasted last summer?  This recipe is a great way to showcase them, not to mention that it makes a delicious light dinner with a salad and some crusty bread.  It's a good counter-balance to all those heavy dinners that are so prevalent at this time of the year, and it also makes great leftovers for lunch the next day.  If you didn't quite get around to roasting tomatoes last summer, it's OK because the recipe contains instructions for starting with fresh tomatoes.  They'll still taste great because roasting brings out all the flavors and sugars even in grocery store tomatoes.

This tart would also be good served for an easy brunch entree if you happen to be entertaining at this time of the year.  I like making it in a tart pan with a removeable bottom because it makes it easier to cut - I always have trouble getting the first piece out of a regular pie pan.  If you don't have a 9" tart pan you can use a pie pan instead.

Goat cheese gives the tart a mildly tangy flavor.  If you don't care for goat cheese you could certainly substitute any other cheese of your choice.  But if you haven't tasted goat cheese, give it a try.  The flavor is mild because it's mixed with mozzarella and it's a great complement to the olive, tomato, and fresh thyme flavors in the tart. 

I've really been trying to stretch myself when it comes to eating new foods, especially healthy foods.  I recently tried some brussel sprouts that The Lawyer's Sister #2 prepared for Thanksgiving and discovered that I really do like them when they're sliced and sauteed. My open-minded attitude still doesn't extend as far as raw oysters, however.  Slimy slippery disgusting little gray things.  Bleh.

Note that the recipe simply calls for a pie crust without mentioning the origin of said crust.  I knew I was on a slippery slope between the ardent pie-crust-makers on one side and the equally ardent pie-crust-in-a-box people on the other.  I didn't even want to get into that debate because you can't win.  It's sort of like discussing politics.  I still want to put my friend Ted (the Conservative) and my mom (the Liberal) in a closet and see who comes out alive.  I'm betting on mom.  She's little but she's feisty.

If you have roasted tomatoes in your freezer, pat yourself on the back and skip the first paragraph. 


* * click here for a printable recipe * *

Roasted Tomato Tart with Goat Cheese and Black Olives

Serves 6-8

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

5 roma tomatoes, cored, halved lengthwise and seeded
Salt and pepper

1 pie crust

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup soft fresh plain goat cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
2 large eggs
¼ cup half and half
1 large garlic clove, minced
½ cup pitted kalamata or nicoise olives, halved
3 tblespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

To Roast the Tomatoes:

Preheat the oven to 350d. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil; brush foil with 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Place the tomato halves, cut side up, on the baking sheet.  Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast for 2 hours until shrunken and somewhat dried.  Cool tomatoes on the sheet.  (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.  Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.)

To Prepare the Tart

Transfer the pie crust to a 9 inch tart pan or pie pan, pressing pastry firmly onto the bottom and sides of the pan.  Fold overhang in and press, pushing the crust slightly above the pan.  Pierce the crust all over with a fork and place in the refrigerator to chill.

Preheat the oven to 375d.  Line the pastry with foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights.  Bake until the crust is set, about 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and beans and bake until the crust edges are golden, about 12 minutes longer.  Cool the crust 10 minutes and reduce the oven temperature to 350d.

Meanwhile, mash the mozzarella, goat cheese, and thyme together using a fork.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add eggs and half-and-half and stir until well blended.  Spread cheese filling evenly in the crust.  Arrange tomato halves (cut side up) and olive halves evenly over the filling.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese on the top.  Bake until the filling is puffed and set, about 35 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes.  Serve the tart warm.