Recipe: Roast Tomatoes and Goat's Cheese Tart

There is a myth surrounding tomatoes in Spain that they are always sweet and delicious. Lies! I don’t care what anyone says, tomatoes are only any good when they are in season. If they are not, then you generally need to help them along a bit and my favorite trick is to roast them, which concentrates the flavor and brings out the inherent sweetness that you miss unless they are left to ripen naturally on the vine.

Ingredients (serves four)

For the pastry

• 200 g plain white flour
• 100 g very cold butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 4 Tbsp ice-cold water

For the filling

• 250 g goat’s cheese, (grated if firm, thinly sliced if a roule)
• 2 baskets of cherry tomatoes
• 5 eggs (preferably free range)
• 4 Tbsp torn basil leaves
• 25 g Parmesan cheese, grated
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp sherry vinegar
• Salt & pepper

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
2. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Cut the butter into small cubes and rub into the flour with your fingers until the mix resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Add the egg yolk and water. Mix together with a wooden spoon and form into a ball with your hands at the end. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
4. While the dough is chilling, cut the cherry tomatoes in half, toss in the olive oil and sherry vinegar and arrange cut-side up on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until slightly browned and gooey looking. Leave to cool slightly.
5. You'll need to blind bake the dough before you can add the filling. On a floured surface, roll out the dough large enough to  cover the bottom and sides of your pie or pastry dish. Line the dish with the dough, gently pressing it up the sides.
6. Cover the pastry dough with baking paper or aluminum foil and fill with dried beans, dried rice or something similar. This is to weigh down the dough so that it doesn't rise or form bubbles as it bakes.
7. Remove the pastry from the oven, discarding the beans (these can be used over and over again for blind baking) and the baking paper/foil. The pastry has to cool for at least five minutes before you can add the filling.
8. Meanwhile whisk together the eggs and goat’s cheese then season well. Add the basil.
9. When the pastry is cool enough, add the egg mixture to the pastry shell, then arrange the tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden and the filling is set.