Heirloom Tomato

I feel like I say this about a lot of fruits and vegetables, but I seriously wait all year for that perfect summer tomato! Growing up in Alabama with an incredible farm in my backyard, tended by my dad, the summer tomato holds great nostalgia for me. Walking into my backyard, salt shaker in hand, plucking a sun warmed and ripened tomato and eating it like an apple, that is the taste of summer. Eating seasonally is easy here in the Central Coast and wow how nutritious and flavorful it is to do so. Tutti Frutti Farms has some exquisite and colorful heirloom tomatoes in right now, go take advantage! This fruit has many nutritional benefits including its Vitamin C and beta carotene content. These are both antioxidants that help improve our immune system. Lycopene, another antioxidant, is found in abundance in the tomato and is shown to help prevent many types of cancer. Lycopene has also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, as well as support brain health, and protect against metabolic syndrome. Tomatoes are also high in fiber and help prevent constipation. The tomato is a versatile ingredient and can be used raw and cooked. Let’s take it into the kitchen! 

Tomato Basil Tart 

Yield: 6 to 8 Servings

2 each sheets thawed vegan puff pastry 
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
2 each garlic cloves, minced 
4 each heirloom tomatoes, different colors 
½ tablespoon sea salt 
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
½ cup basil chiffonade (little ribbons) 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. 

1. Slice the tomatoes in ¼ inch slices and lay them out on paper towel lined baking sheets. Salt and pepper them and allow them to sit for 15 to 20 minutes or until a lot of the moisture has been transferred to the paper towels. 

2. Arrange the puff pastry on the prepared baking sheets. Brush them with the olive oil and spread the garlic evenly over each one. 

3. Lay the dried tomatoes on top of the garlic and olive oil, arranging the different colors in overlapping lines and leaving ¼ inch border around the outside of the pastry.

4. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. 

5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the basil. Slice each tart into 4 pieces and serve hot or room temperature.