Some weekend starts on a very lazy note with a cup of hot ginger tea at ten in the morning followed by zero plans to implement. It doesn’t happen often but whenever it does, Arvind takes every opportunity to make the day as unproductive as he can and at times, I tag along with the flow. We order takeout, be a couch potato and watch movies back to back while sipping some wine or beer in between.
Then there are weekends when the poor guy gets so busy with his work that we hate to even call it a weekend. So, while he spends time with his laptop, I try to get busy doing what I love doing. Like, bake a tart, make it look pretty, take out my props and do some photo shoot.
If summer is all about sorbet, ice cream, smoothie, stone fruits and berries. Then summer is also about tomatoes. It’s the best season for juicier, rich in color, plump tomatoes. I haven’t got a chance to try lot different varieties of this very famous fruit, but this summer I was really glad to get my hands on some exquisite kumato tomato, for the first time.
Kumato tomatoes are sweeter than other variety and also considered as gourmet.
If you haven’t seen these before, your initial reaction might not be surprising. It may look rotten to you because of the brown color but touch it to feel the firmness and then give a big bite to enjoy the sweet taste. Like we did.
Tart was on my mind as soon I bought these tomatoes, and to obviously pairs it with basil pesto. After all, isn’t basil and tomato like a marriage made in heaven. Then I decided to make it more filling for lunch and in went some grated paneer. Paneer, also known as Indian Cottage cheese is easily available in any Indian store. If however, you don’t have access to any, you can always replace it with ricotta cheese or even mascarpone.
The outcome of the tart was wonderful. The crust was flaky, the filling was creamy and every bite was delightful.
Tart Crust
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon herb provence
- 5 tablespoon butter (cold and cut in cubes)
- ¼ cup ice water
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk flour, herb provence and salt and keep it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
- Cut in the butter cubes to the flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (If you are using a food processor, just pulse it for about 5 t0 6 times or until the crumbs looks like size of tiny peas. You can also do the same using a fork or your fingertips).
- Pour ice water to the flour mixture.
- Again, using a fork or your fingertips, mix it properly but do not knead it. It will be sticky.
- Do not over-mix the dough. Just pat the lumps into a ball and cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Pre heat the oven to 350F
- After an hour, take the dough out. Dust little flour on it and using a rolling pin, roll it to a 9/12 inch round.You might need to add little flour in between as you roll it.
- Transfer it in to the tart pan and cut off the extra dough.
- Poke the crust using a fork and bake it at 350F for about 35 minutes.
Notes
- While making the crust dough you have to work very quick so that the butter doesn't melt from the warmt of your hand.
- Do not knead the dough or try to mix too much.
- The dough can be made in advance, and kept in the refrigerator covered tightly with a plastic wrap.
- herb provence is an Italian mixed dried herb. It can also be replaced with any dried herb of your choice.
Nutrition
Lemons & Anchovies
I just love what you've done with the tomatoes here and I can't get over how pretty the pictures are. I want to just linger and forget that I'm at the office and should be working. Would have loved this for lunch. 🙂
A Canadian Foodie
Pesto and Paneer? Who'd'a thought - but it does make perfect sense! What stunning photography (my 1.4 is in the shop) and what a beautiful tart! I have not tried that specific variety of tomatoes, but grow so many kinds and this is the colour that has the most flavour to me... I have love the Purple Cherokee and Krim and the Black Cherry.
🙂
V
dassana
the tomatoes have a lovely color. in fact we only get here one type of tomatoes :-)... the indian tomatoes....
as always great clicks kankana...
Erin Hess
This looks fresh and fabulous for the summer. Can the dough be made the day before or is it best the same day. Or, will the crust be ok if made the night before and filled and baked the next day?
Kankana Saxena
Thanks Erin 🙂 You can definitely make the crust in advance. You can keep it in the refrigerator tightly wrapped with a clear-wrap and it would stay fine for couple of days. But, if you want to keep it for a longer period, you should freeze it and when you ready to bake the crust, let it thaw in the refrigerator for few hours before you start rolling it out. Hope this helps!
Vishakha
Kumato tomatoes...hmm! Never had it before! Thanks for the warning on the look coz I am sure if I'd seen them without this background, I'd think the tomatoes are indeed rotten ;-))
Paneer, Basil and Tomatoes -- perfect combo! Your weekend sounds like the kinda weekend I wish for;-) Now it revolves around V 🙂
Sanjeeta kk
Yes, these tomatoes do look unusual, but love the color of it. Lovely clicks, Kankana.
chinmayie @ love food eat
Lovely tart! I have been enjoying some green tomatoes this week and I love how versatile tomatoes are!
Mallika
Your tart rocks ! I dislike eggs in any savoury dishes, I presume it has to do with my mindset. I would love to create ur tart in my kitchen replacing that egg for more paneer. Shouldn't that work? Your photo shots are splendid!!!
Kankana Saxena
Thanks Mallika for dropping by 🙂 Egg helps binding the paneer and pesto together. I am not sure how it would work out without egg, but you can give it a try.
lizzie strayedtable
YUM YUM YUM. I love paneer, would have never thought of using it for anything else other than a curry. The photos are beautiful. xx
Nash at plateful
This's awesome! I'm so in love with your photos and recipes Kankana, you rock!
Richa@HobbyandMore
i love this set up and gorgeous shots! the ice creams and this tart. simple flavors and delicious!
Arch
That is such a pretty tart, Kankana..I tried making a tart once and it was such a disaster - I will try and be brave again and give this a shot
Nandita
Delightful tart Kankana!!Loved the addition of paneer in it. The presentation and photography is fabulous as always 🙂
Sawsan (Chef in disg
I have never seen these tomatoes before.
I love making tarts and a tomato tart is the perfect summer dish
Rosa
A fabulous tart! I really love the ingredients you used.
I really have to make paneer soon...
Cheers,
Rosa
Simone
That looks Gorgeous! I van sometimes find kumato tomatoes an dreally like them. Your tart looks entirely beautiful and it uses paneer! Now I just have to go and make paneer too!
Rekha
I am sooo going to make it today ...We do not get Kumato tomatoes here but still I will make best use of whats available in India.
Vimitha
The tart looks so delicious and so beautiful... Spot on...
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
I love tomatoes, what an exceptional way to use them! I've never tried Kumato tomatoes but now I'll have to track some down.
rebecca
wow what a beautiful tart first class and amazing pictures, you have talent girlie