Incredibly Easy Tomato Tart

I have decided that Thursdays will be "Tasty Thursdays" here on littlebits. Each week I will share a recipe, a restaurant recommendation, or perhaps simply a list of particularly delicious things I have eaten lately. This week, I give you a ridiculously simple recipe that makes good use of an ingredient that is abundant right now (unless you live in the Northeast...late blight is a drag)--the tomato.

This simple tomato tart requires little skill--and not much actual cooking, for that matter. I came up with it after I wrote the caption for the picture of the party invitation in yesterday's "Etsy Wednesday" post, wherein I suggest a simple summer dinner party menu of a tomato tart, fresh corn and basil salad, and lots of Prosecco :)

Ingredients:

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry dough (or make it from scratch, if you're feeling ambitious)
3-4 small ripe tomatoes of various colors, sliced 1/8" - 1/4" thick
3/4 cup Neufchâtel cheese (substitute cream cheese if you like)
1/4 cup sour cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced fine
6-8 fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

Place the folded sheet of puff pastry dough on a cookie sheet and leave it out on the counter to thaw for about 30 minutes. While the dough is thawing, heat oven to 400 degrees. When the dough is pliable, unfold the puff pastry and gently smooth it so that it lies flat. If the dough gets too soft and sticky, simply pop it into the fridge until it firms up enough that you can work with it.

Make a 1/2-inch border around by lightly scoring a line parallel to each edge (do not cut all the way through). Prick pastry inside border all over with a fork (this will allow the steam to escape while the tart is baking so it doesn't get too puffy in the middle). Bake the dough in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the tart crust from the oven and allow to cool.

While the tart crust is baking, prepare the cheese mixture by simply mixing the Neufchâtel and the sour cream with the garlic and adding a bit of salt and pepper until it tastes good to you. Pop it into the fridge so that it does not get too soft while you're waiting for the tart crust to cool. Once the crust is at room temperature, spread the cheese evenly within the border. Spread the tomato slices all over the top of the tart, sprinkle with salt, pepper, basil, and Parmesan (if desired) and eat immediately.

*****

I hope you will give this recipe a try! Zach and I just ate the tart pictured above for dinner, and I have to say, it was pretty damn tasty (even without the Prosecco) :)