Does anyone else get severe produce anxiety? As much as I like the idea of a CSA, it hardcore stresses me out. Suddenly a crate full of arugula and what if I don’t have time to eat the arugula before the edges wilt and the whole bag gets slimy? What happens if the tomatoes turn to rotten mush before I can use them all?! That sheer panic at the sight of a huge box of my mom’s homegrown tomatoes led to this ricotta tomato tart.
Confession: my extreme procrastination let a few tomatoes spoil and I feel really guilty about it and needed to get that off my chest because the homegrown tomato shame is intense when they come from your mom’s garden.
There’s no match for my mom’s tomatoes. I tried to grow my own two summers ago. We covered up our pig roast pit and decided to take advantage of the overturned dirt by planting a garden. Turns out vegetables don’t like our clay. Zucchini and tomatoes were the only things that took – with the tomatoes going from zero to “OMGAWWW I’M A TOMATO PLANT RAWRRRR!!!” like a giant inflatable dancing tube man in about a week all over the garden.
Sadly, we didn’t get to eat the tomatoes. You know the “if I lick it, then it’s mine” rule? Well raccoons seem to have a similar rule: “If I bite it, then it’s mine.” The sneaky bandits went through my garden and took exactly ONE bite out of each tomato, leaving them hanging on the vine as insult, “your tomatoes aren’t up to snuff.”
I wouldn’t know, I didn’t get to taste them.
This ricotta tomato tart is the perfect platter for showcasing my mama’s vibrantly red juicy tomatoes. Creamy feta & ricotta custard (barely adapted from Alanna’s ricotta & roasted beet tart) and a thin layer of arugula walnut pesto (inspired by the near end-of-life arugula in my fridge) are snuggled up in a flakey gluten-free cornmeal crust and then topped with juicy sliced tomatoes and a few crumbles of feta and parmesan. Baked until golden brown and topped with dollops of pesto, this tart tastes (and smells) like an upscale deep dish pizza except without all the grease and mess.
‘Tis the season of tomato tarts apparently. I’ll take a slice of each of these please:
- Tessa’s tart uses a cornmeal almond crust with fresh heirloom tomatoes
- Beth’s tart has a layer of dijon and is studded with goat cheese
- Liz paired hers with a hazelnut crust and turned it into a galette
- Summer filled her tart with a sweet corn ricotta
- ½ cup finely ground cornmeal
- ⅓ cup sweet rice flour
- ¼ cup oat flour*
- ¼ cup tapioca starch
- ½ teaspoon xanthan
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 8 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 6-8 tablespoons ice water
- 5 medium-large ripe tomatoes (or 8-10 small tomatoes), sliced
- 1¼ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) whole-milk ricotta
- 4 ounces fresh French feta, crumbled & divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1¾ cups baby arugula
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cups packed fresh basil
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pulse together the cornmeal, sweet rice flour, oat flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. (If you don't have a food processor, you can whisk by hand).
- Add the thyme and cold butter, but don't pulse. One tablespoon at a time, dribble ice water into the food processor, pulsing after each addition, until the dough holds together when pinched with your fingers. Add water until it just holds together, but is not sticky. If you need more water, add a teaspoon at a time. (If working by hand, mix the butter into the flour with your hands, breaking up the butter until the largest pieces are about the size of a pea. Mix in ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough just holds together).
- Form the dough into a flat disc and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling as directed below.
- Lightly flour a piece of parchment paper with cornmeal and place the dough on top. With a second piece of parchment paper on top, roll the rough into a 13-inch round that will fit in your tart pan (If you don't have a tart pan, you can do it free form by folding the edges up over the filling like a galette). Remove the top piece of parchment paper and flip the round over into the tart pan, pressing down on the bottom and sides. Carefully peel back the second piece of parchment paper and trim/press the edges. Chill for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to at 400ºF.
- Spread the tomato slices out on a paper-towel lined baking sheet and sprinkle ½ teaspoon of salt over the top. Flip the tomatoes and sprinkle the other side with another ½ teaspoon of salt. Let sit for at least 15 minutes, but as long as an hour. Pat dry.
- Mix the ricotta, 3 ounces of the feta, egg, thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper until smooth (it's okay if the feta is a little clumpy). Chill while you prepare the pesto (below).
- Spread ⅓ cup of the arugula walnut pesto into a thin even layer on top of the chilled tart crust.
- Spread the chilled ricotta over the pesto and smooth out with a spatula.
- Layer the sliced tomatoes over the ricotta filling.
- Crumble the remaining feta over the tomatoes and sprinkle parmesan over the top.
- Bake the tart until the crust and cheese are golden, about 50 minutes. Top with fresh thyme leaves and serve with dollops of pesto
- Place all of the ingredients together in a food processor and purée until smooth.
- Taste and adjust salt, if needed.
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Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness -
I LOVE anything with pesto…and then creamy ricotta and juicy tomatoes? This is the tart of my dreams!
Sarah Menanix -
Tomatoes and pesto were made to be besties, right?
Liz @ Floating Kitchen -
This is beautiful! Gimme all the homegrown tomatoes! And I definitely get produce stress this time of year. There is just SO MUCH to eat and so little time. And the guilt of it spoiling is just too much for me to handle. Thanks for the galette love, too! XOXO!
Sarah Menanix -
YES! I started planning out what I wanted to share this summer and was sad that I don’t have more time to cook with ALLOFTHESUMMERPRODUCE!
Lauren @ Climbing Grier Mountain -
If you need me, I’ll be divining into this gorgeous tart!! GAH!! Tomatoes are on fleek!!!
Sarah Menanix -
Hehe <3 Thanks!
Joyce @ Sun Diego Eats -
It gives me SO MUCH satisfaction to successfully make a meal out of all the things in my fridge that *need* to be used up asap. And looove all the flavours here (especially the ricotta + feta base)!
Sarah Menanix -
Yes! After I do that, I always ask my husband, “aren’t you proud of me?” hahaha. It really shouldn’t be too hard, I have SO MANY things in my fridge at all times. And thanks!!
Allyson -
Ripe vegetables wait for no woman. They’re a fierce and demanding master, needing to be consumed almost immediately. I haven’t gotten a CSA because of the vegetable anxiety, but I should.
This tomato tart is gorgeous. I’m sorry you didn’t get to eat every beautiful tomato, but at least most of them found a happy home.
Sarah Menanix -
I know, right? I feel like I *should* get a CSA…especially with the baby, but I just bought a bunch of bananas and then came home and googled, “how to keep bananas from ripening too quickly” because I was panicked already! Hahaha
Thank you!!
gerry @ foodness gracious -
Those tomatoes are crazy red, and I’d love to try that crust!!
Sarah Menanix -
I know! I’ve never seen tomatoes this red – I was in shock when I sliced into them!
Carla -
CSA boxes stress me out SO HARD. (This is confusing because our usual weekend farmer’s market haul is: 6-8 bunches of kale. 3-5 bunches of chard. 1-2 heads of cabbage. 6-8 zucchinis. At least a few pounds of Sean’s seasonal fruit choice. ALL THAT PRODUCE and a box the size of a kitchen drawer gives me nervous tummy! It’s bizarre.)
We ALSO tried to grow beautiful organic tomatoes this year and, well, WE ARE IN A DROUGHT AND THAT’S WHY I DIDN’T WATER THEM, OK? THAT’S MY STORY AND I’M STICKING TO IT.
I’m going to need someone to get me some tomatoes for this tart, though. STAT.
Sarah Menanix -
Hahaha we are the same. Also: that’s a crapload of kale!!
Yeah, that’s why my tomatoes dried up two years ago too: DROUGHT.
traci | VanillaAndBean -
Your confession is priceless! LOL! All the tomatoes!! Yaaas! They’re just now coming into season up here…. it started a few weeks ago with early girls and cherry tomoatoes. I’m told the heirlooms will be ready soon. A tart is needed, so I appreciate this so much! Now.. CSAs. I’ve been a part of one for three years now and I absolutely love them. That said, I have a kohlrabi sitting in my fridge from last month and I just composted a very small head of lettuce because I forgot that it was behind the huge leaves of chard and kale. Sometimes It’s hard to use it all – that’s why we went with a 3/4 share this year.. but still. Sometimes I forget! Then travel.. augh… This looks so fabulous Sarah! A perfect pairing of flavors! (btw – loved seeing you over at FloatingKitchen!)
Sarah Menanix -
Oooo! Lucky you getting ripe tomatoes now! I love the early girls and they’re still at our market too – I’ve been keeping a bag on hand for snacking. Alanna just told me about the 1/2 share option…maybe that would be a good way to get my feet wet! And thank you!! :)
Marissa -
The color of those tomatoes!!
This tart is exactly what I’m craving this time of year and love the idea of a cornmeal crust. What a beauty!
Those little stinker raccoons! One bite of each!?
Where we live, it’s really tough to grow tomatoes unless you’re willing to really baby them which isn’t my thing. But I buy a huge lug of them at the farmer’s market in August, slow roast them with olive oil and thyme and then freeze them to use all winter long. Way easier than canning and a great way to use a ton of tomatoes fast.
Sarah Menanix -
Those tomatoes were the most red I’ve ever seen – that’s not photoshopped! I love the idea of freezing them – canning tomatoes I hear is super difficult because of the acidity!
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles -
I hear you on the produce anxiety. My tomato plants are hanging with ripeness and it’s killing me that I don’t have the time to get out there and pick them or do anything with them right now. And I have almost a full box of peaches that need to be eaten. SO MUCH GOODNESS. What a gorgeous, gorgeous tart!
Sarah Menanix -
Give me your address and I’ll come take care of the tomatoes for you;) <3
Karen @ The Food Charlatan -
Sheri you’re an amazing gardener! Those tomatoes are like rubies! And Sarah I’m SO glad I’m not the only one with produce anxiety. My other friend Sarah just moved to the bay and started doing the ugly produce thing. She loves it and I’m just like oh man sounds like a bunch of ugly produce that would go bad in the back of my fridge. Then it would be even UGLIER. haha.
Sarah Menanix -
She is so amazing! I just wish I could convince her to come garden at my house too;) This is like classic Little Red Hen over here – I don’t want to garden, but I want to reap all the benefits. Haha.
Matt -
One of my favorite creations of yours!
Sarah Menanix -
Aw thank you!
Brian @ A Thought For Food -
A gorgeous, seasonal tart… especially loving that pesto. And it’s so funny… I have something tomato and cornmeal (well, polenta) coming up soon! But, really, I’m just digging this so much!
Sarah Menanix -
We are twins! <3 Can't wait to see it!
Tessa | Salted Plains -
I have the same fears about CSA’s – you summed it up perfectly. My guilt gets in the way!! This probably means I need to be a better planner. Ha.
The vividness of those tomatoes is amazing. And I want to eat them all. I can imagine how delicious the pesto is with the ricotta and tomatoes, love the thought of a healthier deep dish! <3
Sarah Menanix -
So much guilt! I USED to be a good planner, but now I’m lucky if we eat anything other than a rotisserie chicken. Ha.
These tomatoes were SO SO red – I still can’t get over it. And it translated into beautifully juicy and flavorful tomatoes too!
Aysegul -
Oh man! I need this tart in my life. NOW!
A while back my husband and I tried growing tomatoes using Topsy Turvy while we were living in the Caribbean. You would think with all the fresh air and sun, it would be a no brainer. Right?
We watered them everyday and even thought that they are our sons Topsy and Turvy. And you know what?! At the end of 2 years all we got was 2 small cherry tomatoes. After all that watering?!!!?.. I don’t know if I am ready to try my hand in growing tomatoes anytime soon.
But your mom… She looks and sounds like she is a pro. :)))
<3
Sarah Menanix -
I would for sure share a slice with you if you came to visit. Oh no! Two years and only 2 tiny tomatoes! I blame the plant. The soil. Definitely not the gardner! <3
Amanda @ Cookie Named Desire -
Produce anxiety – yes!! I get that all the time. I am going through it right now with a bunch of figs I bought with grand plans and now that I have them, I suddenly can’t remember what I wanted to make and don’t know what I should make in its place now. But this tart is gorgeous (and boo on those racoons!) and is definitely inspiring me to maybe do the same with the figs.
Sarah Menanix -
OMG! I just had to throw out a basket of figs and I was SO SAD ABOUT IT. They were less than a week old, but figs mold so quickly – what is up with that?! You better do something quick with them!! (Am I helping your anxiety?)
Alyssa Wiegand -
Hahahah! This post made me actually laugh out loud. Produce anxiety, roaring tomato plants, and mean raccoons.
Also, it looks like those tomatoes were sliced PERFECTLY. ;)
Sarah Menanix -
Hehehe <3
Ellie | from scratch mostly -
Hehehehe….you’re so funny Sarah. I feel like I’m reading about ME because I have the same reactions, emotions, and even some of that *ahem* guilt when it comes to produce. I can’t imagine how wonderful these tomatoes must be. I’m a huge fan of juicy tomatoes baked or studded into pie-type dishes because in Argentina the must-try-staple-pizzas are like that! Just tomato, oregano, olives, and there’s just something magical about it. That’s why I’m not too fond of pizza because nothing beats the ones I grew up eating.
Sarah Menanix -
Haha – anxiety-ridden twins! Now I want to goto Argentina for the pizza!!