Heirloom Tomato Tart with Nicoise Olive Tapenade, Mixed Field Greens in a Basil Vinaigrette

Heirloom Tomato Tart with Nicoise Olive tapenade, Mixed Field Greens In a Basil Vinaigrette

While this recipe has many steps, they are easy and most can be done ahead of time.  You could also use a good quality store-bought tapenade without much sacrifice of flavor or even skip the tapenade all together.  I forgot the homemade tapenade one dinner party and it was still delicious!  I also like a bit of fresh mozarella or burratta on the tomatoes but this is not called for in the original recipe.  This salad is my children's favorite. 


Serves 6


Tomatoes:

• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 5 medium heirloom tomatoes (about 4 ounces each), peeled
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons thyme leaves

Tapenade:

• 6 to 8 salt-packed anchovy fillets (1 ounce), bones removed, soaked in mild to cover for one hour, rinsed and then soaked and rinsed two more times
• ½ cup (4 ounces) Nicoise olives, pitted
• ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Basil Vinaigrette:

• ½ cup packed basil leaves
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• ½ package Puff Pastry
• 3 cups mixed baby lettuce leaves

For the Tomatoes

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Cut 2 of the tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices. Place the slices on the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper, the thyme leaves, and 2 more tablespoons of the oil. Roast the tomato slices for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The slices should have dried out slightly but should still be moist. These can be prepared a day ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.

Slice the remaining 3 tomatoes into 1/8 inch slices and place them on a baking sheet lined with a kitchen tea towel. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour and up to 5 hours.

For the Tapenade


Drain the anchovies, pat them dry and place them in a small food processor with the olives and mustard. Turn the machine on and slowly add the olive oil through the feed tube to make the puree, stopping the machine and scraping the sides as necessary. Remove the tapenade to a covered container and refrigerate until ready to serve.



For the Basil Vinaigrette


Blanch the basil leaves in boiling salted water for 1 minute. Drain the leaves and cool them under cold running water; drain well and dry on paper towels. Puree the basil in a food processor. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil through the feed tube, blending until smooth. This can be done up to 2 days ahead; store in the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature before using.



For the Puff Pastry


On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry into an 8 by 12 inch rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Place the sheet on a tray and place in the freezer (it will be easier to cut). Preheat the oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.


When the pastry is frozen, cut out 3-inch rounds of pastry and place them on the baking sheet. Prick each pastry round several times with a fork, then top each round with a slice of roasted tomato. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until the tops and bottoms of the pastries are crisp and they are well browned on the bottom.



To Complete


Add the balsamic vinegar to the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Toss the baby lettuce with just enough of the vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens.


Center a pastry round on each plate. Arrange 3 overlapping slices of chilled tomato on top of each roasted tomato and spoon ¼ teaspoon of olive tapenade onto the slices. Top each tart with a portion of the dressed greens and drizzle each plate with a small amount of the remaining vinaigrette.