Tomato Tart

My obsession with tomatoes continues! I can not get enough of them in the summer time! I like them so much I have 20 lbs of them sitting in my kitchen waiting to be roasted. That recipe will be posted in the next few days. I think I'm one tomato away from a 12 step program! This recipe is an old favorite of mine, and is great if your doing a brunch!

For The Crust:

4 Oz Cream Cheese
1/2 C Margarine (Room Temperature)
1 1/2 C Flour
2 t Fresh Rosemary
2 t Fresh Oregano
1/2 t Sea Salt
1 t Orange Juice
1 t Orange Zest

Cut together the cream cheese, margarine and flour until coarsely blended. (I like to use a pastry blender for this process.) Once blended add the remainder ingredients. Knead the dough for about 1 minute, wrap in plastic and place in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 400. Roll out dough on floured surface to fit the size of your tart pan. (I use an 11 inch tart pan with removable bottom. ) Spray bottom and sides of pan with cooking spray for easy removal. Place crust in pan and gently press dough into the bottom and sides. Poke holes in crust and bake 18-20 minutes until crust is light golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely.

For The Filling:

1/2 Large Red Onion, Sliced Thin
1 T Minced Garlic
2 T Olive Oil
2 T Balsamic Vinegar
4 large Tomatoes, Sliced Thin
Fresh Basil (chopped)
Sea Salt
1/4 Lb. Parmigiano Reggiano

In a sauce pan on low heat, saute onion and garlic in 1 T olive oil. Cook until translucent, add 1 T of balsamic and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and cool.

Drizzle a little olive oil over crust and begin to add a layer of sliced tomatoes. Alternate onions and tomatoes. Drizzle the rest of the olive oil and balsamic over the top. Sprinkle with sea salt, and fresh basil. I tend to use a lot of basil because it taste great with tomatoes. Use as much as you see fit for this dish. Bake tart in oven set to 350 for 15-20 minutes or until tomatoes are tender. Remove from oven and sprinkle fresh parmigiano reggiano. Serve immediately.

***I like to use different types of tomatoes in this dish. One in particular is the yellow tomato that is low in acid and tastes great paired with an heirloom. Most of these tomatoes can be found at local farmers markets.

Bon Appetit!