In addition to being a tasty, light meal, this tart makes a  perfect ‘take-along.’  You can prepare it well in advance and serve it hot, warm or cold.  It’s  that much better when you make your own pie dough (see Pantry) but if you’re really pushed for time you could use store-bought.  Make sure it’s the best! 

You’ll need:

15 cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
½ recipe of pie crust dough (see pantry), chilled
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
1 ½  ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
¼ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper

What you do:

Cut the tomatoes in half, place on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the thyme and salt & pepper.  Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 35 minutes.  Cool.

You’ll need a 9” tart pan with a removable bottom.

Roll out the chilled pie dough to 1/8” thick and about 1” larger than the circumference of the tart pan. Place the dough in the bottom of the pan and push that extra inch around the sides of the pan so that the dough extends slightly above the top edge.  Form a crimped rim around that top edge.  (You can use a fork if you want a perfectly even crimp!)  Cut off any excess dough.  Prick the bottom of the dough all over with a fork.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Line the pie crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Remove the paper and weights, prick all over with a fork again and bake for another 10 minutes.  Cool

In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, goat cheese, mozzarella cheese and ½ of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, cream, salt and pepper and stir until well blended.  Pour into the cooled crust.  Place the cherry tomatoes evenly in the mixture, cut sides up and sprinkle with the remainder of the Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Bake at 375 degrees until the filling is set, about 30 minutes.

Cool for about 5 minutes and push up pan bottom to release the tart from the pan.  Cut into wedges and serve.

John’s Wine Selection
I love this tart, for wine it needs a fresh, bright Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Kim Crawford is one of my favorite Sauvignon Blancs.  This would go well with the acidity of the cherry tomatoes and the softness of the goat cheese.  If you can find it, the 2016 was excellent, but the new 2020 will also please and surprise.