Heirloom Tomato and Asiago Tart

Serve smaller wedges of this delicious tomato and asiago tart as an appetizer or side, or larger portions as an entrée. Recipe by Chef Michael Symon.

Recipe Ingredients:

Dough:*
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
4 ounces (1/2 cup) butter
1 egg yolk
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup ice water, approximately
3/4 to 1 cup dried beans, for baking weights

Filling:
2 large tomatoes, preferably heirloom
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 large eggs
4 garlic cloves, roasted and puréed**
1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) grated Asiago cheese
20 basil leaves, for garnish

Cooking Directions:

1. For the dough, mix the flour, butter, egg yolk and salt with a pastry blender until the mixture forms crumbs. Add the water, a tablespoon at a time. Incorporate quickly, just until the dough forms a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC).
   
3. Roll the dough in a circle 1/8 inch thick. (If you are using a 9-inch purchased crust, you may have to roll it a bit thinner than packaged.) Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan, crimping the crust around the top. Place foil over the bottom crust. Spread the beans over the foil to prevent dough from rising. (Or, generously prick the crust, bottom, and sides, with a fork.)
   
4. Bake about 10 minutes. Remove the beans and the foil. Set the crust aside on a cooling rack.
   
5. For the Filling: Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
   
6. Peel and seed the tomatoes, and cut each vertically into eighths. Pat dry with paper towels.
   
7. Mix together the cream, eggs, roasted garlic purée, and cheese. Pour the mixture into the baked pie crust. Top with tomato pieces. Bake for 30 minutes or until firm in the center and lightly colored. (Bake 5 to 10 minutes longer if necessary.) Remove from the oven and let the pie cool on the rack for 20 minutes.
   
8. Garnish the tart with basil leaves and serve.
   

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

*Instead of making the dough, you can use a 9 or 10-inch prepared, unbaked pie crust.

**To roast and purée the garlic: Choose plump cloves. Scatter, unpeeled, in a baking pan. Salt and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake in a preheated oven at 375ºF (190ºC) for 25 minutes. Peel the cloves and mash, adding a little olive oil if too dry.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.