Fresh Tomato Tart with Basil Pesto and Fontina Cheese – This savory fresh tomato tart features vine ripened tomatoes, basil pesto and Fontina cheese. My Dad planted two tomato plants this year that produced the most beautiful red juicy tomatoes. After a visit to see them, we came home with a basketful that he and my sons picked together. Too beautiful to waste, I wanted to make some sort of tart with them.
In the past, all of the tomato tart recipes I tried seemed to end up watery, and quite frankly, a little tasteless. They were easy to put together, but, didn’t provide a very impressive or delicious end result. I love a challenge, so, I got busy in the kitchen to try and come up with a version that wasn’t watery, had an ingredient combination that enhanced the flavor of the fresh tomatoes, and didn’t have a soggy crust. This recipe is what I came up with, and I think it would be great served for breakfast, lunch or dinner with a green salad.
Fresh Tomato Tart with Basil Pesto And Fontina Cheese
Servings 8
Ingredients
- 1 [9] inch pie crust homemade refrigerated or frozen crust, thawed
- 4 medium fresh tomatoes
- coarse sea salt
- 3 chopped green onions
- 4 Tbsp butter divided
- 3/4 cup Italian flavored cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp prepared basil pesto [such as Classico]
- 8 oz Fontina cheese shredded & divided
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a deep dish 9 inch tart pan or pie pan with cooking spray. Fit the crust into the pan. Set aside.
- Slice the tomatoes 1/4 inch thick and place side by side in a single layer on doubled paper towels.
- Sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt and gently press another paper towel on top to cover them. Leave the tomatoes to release some of their juices while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Melt 3 Tbsp of butter. Toss with the cracker crumbs and shredded Parmesan cheese.
- Cook the green onions in the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter until they begin to soften. Mix together the mayonnaise and basil pesto.
- To assemble: Spread half of the cracker and Parmesan mixture onto the bottom of the crust and sprinkle one third of the Fontina cheese on top.
- Arrange the first layer of the tomatoes over the cheese and spread one half of the basil pesto mayonnaise evenly over the tomatoes.
- Sprinkle the next one third of cheese and the cooked green onion over the tomato slices.
- Repeat, Parmesan cracker crumbs, tomato slices, basil mayonnaise and end with fontina cheese on top. Season the top with black pepper.
- Bake for 38-40 minutes.
- Let the tart rest on the counter for 10 minutes before cutting.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Lillian (My Recipe Journey) says
OMG!!!! That is gorgeous! YUM! I know I would love that!!! I love your blog design…when did you change it?
Melissa says
Thank you Lillian! When the time changed Spring Fever took over, hence the new look! 🙂
Shirley says
What is Italian cracker crumbs?
Melissa says
Any Italian flavored cracker you enjoy crushed into crumbs. I used a Nabisco Italian flatbread cracker.
Terri says
Hi…looks so good. Did you ever make the tart crustless?
Melissa says
I make this recipe just as directed so, in this instance, I haven’t.