Preparation time
30 mins to 1 hour
Cooking time
10 to 30 mins
Serves
Serves 4–6
By Donal Skehan
From Saturday Kitchen
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- Plain flour: 250 g (9 oz)
- Very cold butter (cut into small cubes): 170 g (6 oz)
- Free-range egg: 1
- Balsamic vinegar: 1 tbsp
- Sea salt: 1 tsp
- Ice cold water: 2 tbsp
For the Filling:
- Red and yellow cherry tomatoes (sliced in half): 300 g (10½ oz)
- Balsamic vinegar: 1 tbsp
- Olive oil: 1 tbsp
- Fresh thyme (leaves picked from a few sprigs)
- Oregano (roughly chopped, small handful)
- Ricotta: 250 g (9 oz)
- Fresh basil (chopped): 2 tbsp
- Toasted pine nuts: 100 g (3½ oz)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To Serve:
- Olive oil: 3 tbsp
- Balsamic vinegar: 1 tbsp
- Dijon mustard: 1 tsp
- Garlic clove (grated): 1
- Baby salad leaves (handful)
- Chopped chives: 1 tbsp
- Chopped basil: 1 tbsp
- Fresh chervil (leaves only): 1 tbsp
- Edible flowers (such as cornflowers and chive flowers)
Alternative Ingredients
When substituting for ricotta cheese, consider using one of the following alternatives:
- Cottage Cheese: Similar moisture content and mild taste. Blend it for a smoother texture.
- Greek Yogurt: Tangier but creamy.
- Cream Cheese: Creamy and rich, suitable for desserts.
- Goat Cheese: Creamy and tangy, adds unique flavour.
- Mascarpone: Rich and velvety.
Method
- Make the pastry:
- Mix flour and butter until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Whisk egg, balsamic vinegar, and sea salt in a separate bowl.
- Combine egg mixture with flour, adding cold water to bind.
- Gently knead into a smooth dough and chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C Fan/Gas Mark 5).
- Prepare the filling:
- Toss tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, thyme, and oregano.
- Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
- Roll out the pastry:
- Roll on a floured surface to 5mm thickness.
- Transfer to a baking tray and prick with a fork.
- Make the ricotta mixture:
- Mix ricotta and basil; season.
- Assemble the tart:
- Scatter pine nuts on the pastry base.
- Spread ricotta mixture, leaving a border.
- Arrange marinated tomatoes on top.
- Fold pastry edges to create a crust.
- Bake:
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until tomatoes shrink and pastry browns.
- Cool:
- Let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Prepare the dressing:
- Mix olive oil, balsamic, Dijon, and garlic.
- Serve:
- Toss salad, herbs, and flowers with the dressing.
- Serve the tart with the summer salad.