Breakfast Tomato Tarts… or anything-you-have-in-your-home at any-time-of-day Tarts.
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Raise your hand if this worldwide pandemic has knocked you down in ways you never thought possible: emotionally, personally, socially, physically? What about financially?
The astounding number of human beings that are suffering from financial hardship due to lack of employment, benefits, medical bills, etc. are too many to ignore. My family and friends will be the first to tell you that I am a firm believer that every person deserves nutritious, delicious, comforting food that if only for a moment, makes them feel special, loved, and nourished. Food has the power to create hope, to fuel ideas and innovation, share culture, and bring peace.
Food is also an expense, and if you reading this are anything like me- grocery shopping happens in a very planned bi-weekly shopping trip in which ingredients can be used in multiple dishes in an effort to stay on a very strict budget.
This recipe is for that purpose.
It looks impressive, dare I say- fancy? What is it really? A quick savory crust that has been topped with a few sliced tomatoes, garlic, and herbs, lettuce leaves dressed with lemon and oil, and a fried egg.
What ingredients to we typically have on hand?
– Flour, butter (or shortening which has a longer shelf life), eggs, cheese
What ingredients do I usually buy that I use throughout the week?
– Tomatoes (for soup, salads, pastas), lettuce (this week it was arugula), lemons (for salad dressings which are much cheaper and healthier to make than buy), garlic (for, well, everything)
What ingredients can you grow to keep throughout the year and not worry about buying?
– Basil, thyme, rosemary
These breakfast tomato tarts start with a wildly crisp and flaky crust, that’s filled with herby cheesy deliciousness. For a little tutorial on what the process of making the crust looks like, check out this pie recipe (which also happens to be a great pick-me-up dessert).
Food doesn’t have to cost a lot to make the day special, to be “impressive”, to nourish those you feed, or to taste delicious.
Breakfast Tomato Tarts
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cold salted butter cut into small cubes
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbs dried basil
- 3 tbs parmesan cheese
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 tbs warm water
For the tomatoes and topping
- 5 medium ripe tomatoes sliced
- 1 small bunch fresh basil chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
- 5 oz gruyere or parmesan, or swiss, or goat cheese.
- 2 cups baby arugula or any other lettuce, torn to size
- 3 tbs lemon juice *I like this acidic, adjust to your taste
- 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- For the crust, mix together the flour, sugar, dried herbs, and cheese (if desired). Add in the cold butter, and with your fingers work it until the butter is incorporated and the size of small peas. Mix together the yolk and warm water, and stream it into the flour mixture. You will need to knead this for a while until it holds together. The mixture will seem dry at first, but believe me, it will come together. Pat this into a flat circle, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for a moment.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Place the sliced tomatoes, minced garlic, basil, crushed red pepper, salt, pepper, and balsamic together.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out your savory dough. You can turn this into 1 tart and make a rectangle that is roughly 1/2 inch thick, or do what I did and cut out 5 inch rounds.Place this onto a baking sheet lined with either a silpat or parchment paper. Prick the center with a fork, and bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Pull the crust from the oven, let cool for a moment, and place your cheese of choice all along the bottom.Overlap the tomatoes onto the crust, leaving a small border.
- Bake again for another 15 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned and the tomatoes have gotten soft and concentrated.
- Once the tarts are cooling, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, and salt. Lightly dress the arugula (or your lettuce you have on hand).
- Top the tart with the salad, and finish with a fried egg. Optional: loads of black pepper!
Notes
Not a fan of these dried herbs? Try rosemary.
No cheese? Swap in avocado on top of the tomato when it’s out of the oven.
Like a little bite? Add some thinly sliced raw red onion, or hot sauce!
Want a more hearty meal? Top with prosciutto, bacon, turkey, seitan, or warm lentils. Make it your own!
This recipe means a lot to me. It means I can feed the people I love using fresh ingredients that are assembled in a special way, but are in no way “special” or expensive. Feel free to add in those luxury ingredients (pricey avocado, prosciutto, stinky cheese) for an even more impressive main dish. I promise you though, this dish that cost me less than maybe 5 dollars per person, will make everyone you make it for feel like a million dollars.