Rustic Tomato Basil Tart

Tonight's dinner - fantastically yummy! Here's the recipe (from my sister, Irene - don't know where she got it):

Rustic Tomato Basil Tart
6 servings (yeah right, more like 3!)

3 lbs med red and yellow tomatoes cut into 1/4 inch slices (This seems like too much, 1.5 lbs is more like it)
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 1-2 ears)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp fat free sour cream
1.5 cup all purpose flour
1/4 c yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into several pieces
1 tbsp yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided
1/3 cup (1.5 oz) shredded fontina cheese (or smoked provala; gruyere also works as a substitute)
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

1. Arrange tomato slices in a single layer on several layers of paper towels; sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt. Let stand 20 minutes; blot dry with paper towels.

2. Place corn, lemon juice and sour cream in a food processor; process until smooth.

3. Combine 1.5 cup flour, 1/4 cup cornmeal and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives (or a fork) until mixture resembles course meal. Add corn mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Knead gently 3-4 times.

4. Slightly overlap 2 16” sheets of plastic wrap on a slightly damp surface. Place dough on plastic wrap, press into a 6” circle. Cover with 2 additional sheets of overlapping plastic. Roll dough, still covered, into a 14” circle. Place on a large baking sheet in freezer for 10 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed. (Be sure to use a good, heavy duty plastic wrap)

5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

6. Line baking sheet with parchment paper; sprinkle paper with 1 tbsp cornmeal. Remove 2 sheets (1 side) of wrap from dough. Place dough, wrap side up, on baking sheet. Remove remaining wrap.

7. Combine 1/4 cup basil, cheese and oregano in a small bowl. In a separate small bowl, combine 2 tbsp flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Arrange cheese mixture on dough, leaving 1.5” border. Sift 1 tbsp flour mixture over cheese mixture. Arrange 1/2 of tomatoes over cheese and flour mixtures. Sift remaining flour mixture over tomatoes, top with remaining tomatoes. Fold edges of dough toward center, press to seal.

8. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes or until crust is browned. Let stand 10 minutes, sprinkle with 1/4 cup basil and black pepper.



Aperture priority setting: f/5, 1/4 sec, ISO 100