EASY TOMATO AND BASIL TART RECIPE

Tomatoes

"Yipppy,” at last a glimmer of sunshine has broken through the endless grey of the past few weeks.

As we all breathed a collective sigh of relief and shed a few of the winter layers my thoughts instinctively went to food.

We are, as I think I mentioned before, in the midst of the exam season in our house and so I am conscious of keeping everyone calm, healthy and happy.

Pining for a picnic or at least lunch in the garden after all the soups and stews of recent weeks, I decided a healthy salad and tomato tart was called for, using as many home grown ingredients as possible.

OK.. so the tomatoes plants are barely flowering, so I did have to buy the tomatoes, but the pots of lettuce, that have been  so well watered naturally over the last few weeks, are looking fantastic as is the rocket and basil.

As I went round the garden with my scissors and bowls to gather the produce it felt like I was auditioning for the Good Life!

Home grown Lettuce and Rocket

Home grown Lettuce and Rocket 

This tomato tart is so easy to make and delicious. Both teenagers have made it independently for friends and the results have been very well received.

So if you want a quick lunch or something to take on a picnic this is worth a try. For picnics I have made individual mini square tarts that look cute and have great puff pastry edges that all the children and youngsters love.

This has also proved very popular with my daughter who doesn’t eat raw tomatoes...the roasting with the pesto creates a soft sweetness that alters the texture and makes them delicious.

Basil

EASY TOMATO TART

Preparation 5 minutes

Cooking time 20 minutes

Feeds 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

½ Packet or block of puff pastry- I use the Jus-Rol block of puff pastry 

http://www.jusrol.co.uk   that is available in most supermarkets

1 pack of mozzarella

Handful of Basil

500g tomatoes

Flour to dust the baking sheet

3 tbsp red pesto

WHAT TO DO:

1.     Pre heat the oven to 170 degrees

2.     Dust the work surface with flour and roll out half the packet of puff pastry into an oblong and place on a flour dusted baking sheet

3.     Spread the spoonfuls of red pesto onto the pastry leaving a an inch or so around the edge of the pastry

4.     Slice the tomatoes into circles then arrange them artily on top of the pesto putting slivers of mozzarella in between the tomatoes.

5.     Lightly season with salt and pepper and place a half of the basil over the tomatoes.

6.     Put in the pre heated oven for about 20 minutes or until the pastry has risen and is golden.

Tomato,  basil and mozzarella tart

All that’s missing from the salad is some delicious local watercress.

 For that I wait until tomorrow and the Alresford Watercress Festival. A day of events, Farmers Markets and food tastings at Alresford in Hampshire..

 http://www.watercressfestival.org/

Sounds like my perfect Sunday!