Tomato Pie-Tart with Ricotta & Fresh Basil

I cleared my throat, looked him straight in the eye, and said, “Alex, let’s take ‘The Whey You Look Tonight, Dominick’ for $1000.”

Alex read, “He’ll eat this on a stale saltine.”

I beat the others to the buzzer, and replied, “What is Ricotta?”

Correct!

And then my alarm went off…

But it’s true! If Dom had his whey, I mean way, he’d eat ricotta everyday…straight from the container, piled on a cracker, stale or otherwise. Which is exactly why I’m making him this Tomato Pie-Tart with Ricotta & Fresh Basil. The idea was born on our first night in Chapel Hill. We arrived pretty late to our hotel and immediately ordered room service. The last thing we had to eat was the snack from our flight, an entire bag of 11 kettle chips. So needless to say, we were hungry. Room service was perfect – one of the dishes we ordered was an Heirloom Tomato Pie-Tart (as they called it) with a side salad of local greens and basil dressing. The filling for their pie-tart actually had a mustard base, which was very good(!) but I wanted to play around with a ricotta filling, knowing hubby would love it.

I decided to use pie vessels for this recipe for two reasons: 1) I purchased these pretty pie plates in Asheville and was itching to use them, and 2) I don’t have a tart pan, so 3) my decision to use the pie plates was an obvious one. 🙂

Let’s get started…

The first thing you’ll do is make the dough. Using a food processor, pulse the flour, salt and butter until it forms a mixture resembling coarse meal. Next, add the water, and pulse a few more times until the dough holds together when squeezed between your fingers. From there, turn the dough out onto the counter and shape it into a 5″ disk. Wrap it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.

…While the dough was chilling, I searched for something to use as pie weights. Found it – sea stones – perfect.

Okay – once the dough is chilled, roll it out on a floured counter then press it into the pie plates. Trim any excess dough from around the plates to make a neat edge. Chill the shells one more time for about 15 minutes then prep them for the oven.

Using parchment paper and pie weights (I used my Pacific sea stones) place the paper then the stones over the dough and bake for 13 minutes. Then remove the parchment and stones and bake the crusts for another 12 minutes, until fully cooked and browned. Let them cool on a rack and prep your filling.

Combine the ricotta, Parmesan and basil and season with salt and pepper.

Then using a spatula, spread the mixture into the cooled shells. Top with the tomatoes and fresh basil then sprinkle with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. It’s that simple.

You know how cooking shows talk about the ‘perfect bite’? Well, in my humble-home-cook opinion, I’m thinking that a perfect bite consists of a forkful of food that is well composed, texturally pleasing and perfectly balanced in flavor. Would you agree?

I am here to tell you, this pie-tart, when eaten as a complete bite, with every component – the crust, the ricotta filling, the sliced tomatoes, fresh basil, salt and pepper…is the perfect bite. Buttery, salty, fresh, creamy, cool and savory…in a word exquisite.

I know this to be true and I’ll tell you why…I am not as huge a fan of ricotta as my main man is, but I looooved this. Oh yes. Thank goodness ricotta is a “healthier” cheese. And I used the part-skim too – how ’bout that?

This is a perfect late summer, early fall dish…it’s perfect for brunch or lunch all by itself or as a side-dish for dinner…and when you’re finished eating a piece, you are positively satisfied.

Making it ‘summer comfort food’ all the way…what a treat!

Buon Appetito!

Tomato Pie-Tart with Ricotta & Fresh Basil

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• Author: Ciao Chow Bambina

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Description

Buttery, salty, fresh, creamy, cool and savory…this Tomato Pie-Tart with Ricotta & Fresh Basil is exquisite!!

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Ingredients

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• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 20 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” pieces
• 1/4 cup ice water, plus more as needed
• 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan
• 2 heaping Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 – 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• 1 – 2 pints yellow and red cherry tomatoes, some sliced
• kosher salt
• whole basil leaves for finishing

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Instructions

1. Using a food processor, pulse the flour, salt and butter until it forms a mixture resembling coarse meal.
2. Add the water, and pulse a few more times until the dough holds together when squeezed between your fingers.
3. Turn the dough out onto the counter and shape it into a 5″ disk.
4. Wrap it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
5. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
6. Once the dough is chilled, roll it out on a floured counter then press it into the pie plates.
7. Trim excess dough from around the plates to make a neat edge.
8. Chill the shells one more time for about 15 minutes then prep them for the oven.
9. Using parchment paper and pie weights, place the paper then the stones over the dough and bake for 13 minutes.
10. Remove the parchment and stones and bake the crusts for another 12 minutes, until fully cooked and browned.
11. Let them cool on a rack.
12. Prepare the filling.
13. Combine the ricotta, Parmesan and basil and season with salt and pepper.
14. Then using a spatula, spread the mixture into the cooled shells.
15. Top with tomatoes and fresh basil then sprinkle with kosher salt and cracked black pepper.
16. Serve.

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(Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma.)

 Ciao!