Tomato & Goats Cheese Tart

The tomato & goats cheese tart is a popular appetiser dish, using a light and contemporary Mediterranean approach. Using Ingredients such as creamy goats cheese, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil and juicy beef tomatoes, this is a fun dish that many of our customers favour.

Ingredients (for one tart)

2 thin slices of beef tomato (the riper the better)

½ one shallot

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 leaf of  fresh basil

2 slices goats cheese (be sure to remove the rind first!)

1 squares of filo pastry (approx 5’’ square)

2tsp extra virgin olive oil

Pinch black pepper

Equipment

Heavy bottomed pan

Preheated oven (to 180 degrees C)

Sharp knife you are comfortable with

Chopping board

Shallow Yorkshire pudding tin (with depressions approx. 3’’ in diameter)

Method:

Peel & chop the shallot into thin slices, about a matchstick thickness (julienne). In the heavy bottomed pan, add 1tsp olive oil, then place on a medium heat until the oil has heated so that it moves easily around the pan. Add the sliced shallots, then stir periodically for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Be sure to not have the heat too high, otherwise the shallots will burn. Our intention here is to release the sugars from the shallot.

When the shallots have begun to “froth” after softening, stir for another minute. Add the balsamic vinegar then reduce until the vinegar has turned to a syrup (the consistency of honey, respectively). Remove the reduction from the heat and allow to cool.

Roll the basil leaves into very small sausage shapes tightly, and slice very thinly. The slices should give appearances of small spirals. This cut is called “chiffonade”. Add one third of the chiffonades of basil to the balsamic reduction, and allow to infuse for approximately 15 mins.

Grease the Yorkshire pudding tin. In the Yorkshire pudding tin, layer the two squares of pastry so that they overlap at right angles. This should give you a “sunburst” appearance with the edges of the pastry. Make sure that the pastry lines the tin so that it will “cup” the mixture we are about to put into it.

Put one slice of beef tomato in the centre of the tart, and overlap with one slice of goats cheese. Add half of the basil chiffonades on top, then glaze with the shallot and balsamic reduction. Repeat this process with the other slice of tomato and goats cheese. Add the remaining basil on top. Drizzle the tart with the olive oil, then put into the preheated oven for approximately 4 -5 minutes until the pastry has gone golden brown, and the cheese has begun to melt.

Serve hot or cold, with dressed seasonal leaves.