James Martin’s Wafer-thin tomato tart with pesto and salad

Looking for a great starter for an upcoming party? In case you’re stuck in a recipe rut this month, here’s a tomato tart recipe to add to your repertoire. Happy cooking and eating!

Serves 4

From: Chef James Martin, author of More Home Comforts: 100 new recipes from the television series

Ingredients for pesto:

• 110g rocket leaves
• Handful of fresh basil leaves
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 50g Parmesan, grated
• 125ml extra virgin olive oil
• 50g pine nuts, toasted
• Freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for salad:

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 100g rocket leaves
• Salt and pepper

Ingredients for tarts:

• 250g puff pastry, ready to roll
• 300g grated Emmental or Gruyère cheese, or a mix of both
• 4 tablespoons grain mustard
• Olive oil
• 8 to 10 regular tomatoes, sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 1 egg

Instructions for pesto:

1. In a food processor, blend the rocket, basil, garlic, Parmesan and olive oil until it’s a smooth yet grainy consistency. You can also pound it with a pestle and mortar instead.
2. Add the pine nuts and season to taste with black pepper, then blend or pound the pesto again until well combined.

Instructions for salad:

In a bowl, mix the balsamic vinegar with the olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Combine the rocket leaves with the dressing.

Instructions for tarts:

1. If you’re using a frozen pastry, allow it to defrost. Preheat the oven to 230 degrees Celsius. Roll the puff pastry out until it’s half as thick as it was when it was opened (about 3mm thick, or as thin as you dare), and cut it into four round circles, each the size of a side plate.
2. Break the egg into a bowl and whisk it with a fork. Brush the pastry circles around the edges with egg. Dock with a fork before spreading with the mustard and cheese.
3. Arrange the sliced tomatoes in a circle in the middle of the pastry, leaving a small edge of pastry around the outside. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the pastry base is cooked.
4. Remove the tarts from the oven and place them on a serving plate. Drizzle with the pesto and serve with a small pile of salad in the middle of each tart.

jamesmartinchef.co.uk

We have loads more great recipes for some dinner party inspiration!

This article first appeared in the May 2017 edition of Expat Living Singapore. Subscribe now!