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Herbed Tomato-Chive Tarts

Source of Recipe

From "The Artisanal Kitchen" by Cheryl Day


Recipe Introduction

"A savory tart can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. A simple cornmeal crust and custard filling is the foundation for so many different combinations of vegetables, herbs, and meats. Here tomato, chives, and cheese do the trick."

List of Ingredients

For the cornmeal crust:
â—¦ 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
â—¦ 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
â—¦ 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

For the filling:
â—¦ 1 cup heavy cream
â—¦ 2 large eggs
â—¦ 1 large egg yolk
â—¦ 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh thyme
â—¦ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 20 grape tomatoes
â—¦ 1 bunch chives, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
â—¦ ½ cup coarsely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
â—¦ Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
â—¦ Olive oil for drizzling
â—¦ Balsamic vinegar for drizzling

Special equipment:
â—¦ Four 4-inch ramekins


Recipe

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325° F.

To make the cornmeal crust: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

In a medium bowl, stir the flour and cornmeal together to combine. Add the melted butter and mix with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Divide the crust mixture evenly among the ramekins. Press the crust over the bottom of each ramekin. Put the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the crust is a light golden color. Remove the ramekins from the oven and let cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, to make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the cream, eggs, and egg yolk until smooth. Stir in the thyme and pepper.

To assemble the tarts: Arrange 5 tomatoes in each crust. Sprinkle the chives and cheese on top. Pour the cream mixture over the tomatoes, chives, and cheese, then sprinkle nutmeg on top. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges but the center still has a slight jiggle. Remove from the oven and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Let the tarts sit for 5 to 10 minutes, and serve warm.

Serves 4