This tomato tart using puff pastry is the perfect recipe to showcase ripe, juicy summer tomatoes at their best. A crisp, buttery puff pastry crust is topped with creamy stracciatella cheese, caramelized shallots, and beautiful fresh tomatoes with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar glaze. The result is a heavenly savory tart that tastes both indulgent and incredibly light.
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This tomato tart with puff pastry is simple, colorful, and bursting with fresh flavor - exactly the kind of recipe you'd want to make when tomatoes are at their peak! It's surprisingly easy to make, with just a handful of simple ingredients and about 15 minutes of prep.
This puff pastry tomato tart recipe makes an easy summer appetizer, light lunch, or beautiful addition to a brunch spread. Not to mention, it's a great way to use up an abundance of fresh garden or farmers market tomatoes.
For more recipes to make use of those excess tomatoes, try this burrata caprese, roasted tomato sauce, or roasted tomato pepper soup.
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🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Puff pastry: You can make your own if you want to go above and beyond, but I recommend using store-bought puff pastry sheets. You can use the extra sheet to make this apple and puff pastry tart!
- Tomato: I like to use a combination of heirloom tomatoes and cherry tomatoes to fill in some of the smaller gaps, but you can really use any varieties.
- Basil: Fresh basil is always best. If you only have dried basil, I suggest using it to make a simple basil oil, rather than sprinkling it on dry.
- Stracciatella: This is the cheese inside burrata balls and can be found in some grocery stores such as Ralph's or Gelson's, specialty cheese shops, as well as Trader Joe's during certain times of the year. I've included a hack below for a quick DIY stracciatella if you can't find it near you. You can also use goat cheese, Boursin, or ricotta whipped with crumbled feta.
- Shallot: Can be omitted or replaced with red or yellow onion.
- Everything but the bagel: You can get it at the store or on Amazon, but I recommend making your own everything but the bagel seasoning.
- Balsamic glaze: Store-bought or homemade are both fine! Alternatively, you can opt for a drizzle of this elevated hot honey recipe.
- Olive oil: Make sure it's extra virgin!
- Egg: For the egg wash.
- Salt & pepper
🧀 How To Make DIY Stracciatella Cheese
Don't bother buying burrata and trying to scoop out the stracciatella inside, as that would be expensive, wasteful, and inefficient. There's a better way to get delicious stracciatella, and it only takes 3 ingredients and a couple minutes of work!
All you need is:
- 4 to 6oz of fresh mozzarella cheese (depending on how thick you want the finished product)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- A pinch of salt.
Simply pull apart the mozzarella into thin shreds, sprinkle in the salt, and cover it with the cream. Allow it to soak in the fridge for at least 30 minutes in order to thicken. I recommend preparing the stracciatella before starting with the puff pastry so it can soak while the tart is baking.
🍅 How To Make a Tomato Tart Using Puff Pastry
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Step 1: Place thawed puff pastry on a cutting board and use a rolling pin to flatten it, smoothing out the seams.
Pro Tip: For best results, allow the puff pastry to thaw in the fridge for 3-4 hours before rolling. If you're short on time, you can thaw at room temperature for about 30-40 minutes. If puff pastry becomes sticky from condensation, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes.
Step 2: Transfer puff pastry to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a knife to create a 1-inch border around the puff pastry, then use a fork to poke small holes (dock) across the center to discourage rising. Whisk an egg with 1 teaspoon of water and lightly brush over the border. Bake 20-25 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.
Step 3: Thinly slice shallots, then add to a saucepan and drizzle with olive oil. Caramelize over low heat until soft and golden. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 4: Once cooled, spread stracciatella evenly over the center of the tart, then top with caramelized shallots and everything but the bagel seasoning. Slice tomatoes and arrange them over the top.
Step 5: Finish it off with fresh basil leaves, salt, pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, and balsamic glaze. Optionally, you can garnish with a little extra everything but the bagel and a few fresh shallot slices for a pop of color.
🤷🏻♀️ FAQs
How do you keep a tomato tart from getting soggy?
Bake the puff pastry until thoroughly crisp and golden, as a pale, underbaked crust will soften much more quickly. It can also help to blot excess moisture from the sliced tomatoes before adding them.
What tomatoes are best for a puff pastry tomato tart?
Use ripe, flavorful tomatoes that aren't too watery. Heirloom tomatoes are especially beautiful, while Roma or plum tomatoes tend to contain less moisture. A combination of different colors and sizes can make the finished tart particularly attractive.
Why did the middle of my puff pastry puff up?
Puff pastry may not rise properly if the dough becomes too warm before baking, the oven isn't fully preheated, or the edges were compressed while shaping. Docking the center with a fork can also help prevent it from rising.
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- Dock the center well. This discourages it from puffing excessively.
- If the center rises too much, you can gently flatten it with the bottom of a mug or a spatula while it's still warm.
- Let the pastry cool before adding the cheese to prevent it from becoming runny.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Keep in mind that the pastry will gradually soften, so this tart is best when eaten fresh.
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Tomato Tart Using Puff Pastry
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place thawed puff pastry on a cutting board and use a rolling pin to flatten it, smoothing out the seams.
- Transfer puff pastry to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a knife to create a 1-inch border around the puff pastry, then use a fork to poke small holes (dock) across the center to discourage rising. Whisk an egg with 1 teaspoon of water and lightly brush over the border. Bake 20-25 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.
- Thinly slice shallots, then add to a saucepan and drizzle with olive oil. Caramelize over low heat until soft and golden. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Once cooled, spread stracciatella evenly over the center of the tart, then top with caramelized shallots and everything but the bagel seasoning. Slice tomatoes and arrange them over the top.
- Finish it off with fresh basil leaves, salt, pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, and balsamic glaze. Optionally, you can garnish with a little extra everything but the bagel and a few fresh shallot slices for a pop of color.
Nutrition
Notes
- For best results, allow the puff pastry to thaw in the fridge for 3-4 hours before rolling. If you're short on time, you can thaw at room temperature for about 30-40 minutes. If puff pastry becomes sticky from condensation, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes.
- Dock the center well. This discourages it from puffing excessively.
- If the center rises too much, you can gently flatten it with the bottom of a mug or a spatula while it's still warm.
- Let the pastry cool before adding the cheese to prevent it from becoming runny.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Keep in mind that the pastry will gradually soften, so this tart is best when eaten fresh.
Nena Sterner says
We hope you enjoy this recipe!