Summer is already waning. Friends are returning to Milan from various parts of the world, proven by melancholy instagram posts titled “back to the office,” and “already home.” I am hanging on to the last few days of vacation in Liguria with tooth and claw, refusing to admit that I too, will be back in the city next week, facing a brand new apartment full of boxes to unpack, and an inbox full of unanswered emails… I must admit I’m as overwhelmed as I am excited to tackle the weeks ahead.
This is a tart to savor like the last days of summer, every bite bursting with flavors and colors of a season too close to its end.
Roasted Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart with Thyme
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 2 lbs (900g) ripe plum tomatoes
- 4 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
- extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
- 7 oz (200 g) fresh goat cheese
Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Spread out the thawed puff pastry on the baking sheet and chill until ready to use.
Toss tomatoes and unpeeled garlic cloves with 2 tablespoons oil, 2 teaspoons thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl until well coated. Roast tomatoes, cut sides up and in 1 layer, together with the garlic on a foil-lined baking pan in middle of oven, for 1 hour. Remove the tomatoes and garlic from oven and set aside.
Brush chilled pastry with 2 teaspoons oil and bake until pastry begins to puff and brown, about 5 minutes.
When cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic out of their skins into a small bowl, smashing well with a fork. Add the goat cheese and 2 tsp of thyme to the garlic, mixing well.
Remove the pastry from the oven and cover the surface evenly with the goat cheese mixture. Arrange the roasted tomatoes, cut side down, over the goat cheese. Return the tart to the oven and continue to bake until pastry is cooked through and crisp, about another 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.
