Tomato, cheese and onion tart

Name: Tomato, cheese and onion tart
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 6-8
Cuisine: British,Mediterranean
Ingredients: 145g plain flour; 80g wholemeal flour; ¾ tsp salt; 130g cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes; 1 egg yolk; ½ tsp vinegar; 1 tbsp ice-cold water

Helen Goh

October 10, 2024

The cheese and herbs can be changed up for this tinned tomato tart. William Meppem

Time:2 hours +Serves:6-8

Before the heat of summer ripens the tomatoes, here’s a tart that makes use of the tinned variety. Cooked down slowly with onions until both intensify in flavour, it forms a thick and tasty filling for a wholemeal pastry tart.

Feel free to substitute the herb and cheese; I’ve used oregano here to pair with the feta or halloumi but tarragon and goat’s cheese would also work nicely. Serve barely warm or at room temperature with a crisp, green salad.

Ingredients

FOR THE PASTRY

145g plain flour
80g wholemeal flour
¾ tsp salt
130g cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 egg yolk
½ tsp vinegar
1 tbsp ice-cold water

FOR THE FILLING

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra for garnish
1 tsp vinegar
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
400g can chopped tomatoes
200g feta or halloumi cheese

Method

Step 1
Place the flours and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse a few more times to incorporate; the butter should be in small pieces and barely visible. Add the egg yolk, pulse to combine, then add the vinegar and cold water. Pulse until the dough just begins to come together in small clumps, then tip it out into a medium bowl.
Step 2
Knead very gently in the bowl to bring the dough together in a ball, then wrap it loosely in cling film. Press lightly to flatten and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, make the tomato filling. Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan (I used a 26cm non-stick pan) placed over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring regularly, until softened and lightly coloured (about 10 minutes).
Step 4
Add the oregano, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and stir for a minute before adding the tomatoes. Cook, stirring regularly, until the mixture thickens (about 10–15 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Step 5
While the filling is cooling, prepare to line the tart tin with the pastry. Spray a tart tin (about 23cm diameter x 3cm deep) lightly with cooking spray or brush lightly with oil.
Step 6
Remove the pastry from the fridge and lightly flour your bench. Roll the dough out into a rough circle that’s about 5mm thick. Drape the pastry over the rolling pin, then unroll it carefully over the tart tin. Don’t worry if it breaks or cracks: just press the pastry into the gaps and smooth out with your fingers. Trim the overhang (reserving the offcuts for patching up any cracks later), then place the tart case in the fridge to chill for another 30 minutes.
Step 7
To blind-bake the pastry shell, preheat oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional). Place the chilled pastry case on a baking tray, then line the case with baking paper. Fill with baking beans, then place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, scoop out the beans and lift off the baking paper. If there are any cracks, patch them up with the reserved pastry offcuts. Return the pastry to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 10 minutes to dry it out further, then remove from the oven.
Step 8
Crumble about two-thirds of the feta or halloumi evenly on the base of the tart shell. Spoon the tomato filling into the tart case and use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it out to an even layer. Scatter the remaining cheese on top and place in the oven. Bake for about 25 minutes until the cheese starts to brown and the filling sets.
Step 9
Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Scatter the extra oregano leaves for garnish and serve warm or at room temperature.