Puff pastry, pesto, cheese and heirloom tomatoes star in this eye-catching and delicious Summertime Tomato Pesto Tart.
This Summertime Tomato Pesto Tart recipe is delicious, easy, and impressive. But honestly, calling it a recipe is really a stretch. It’s truly just a few ingredients layered together without any real mixing or cooking involved — which is exactly why I love it!
Although I enjoy cooking, some days I’m just too tired to do the full shebang and that’s where a recipe like this Summertime Tomato Pesto Tart comes into play.
This Summertime Tomato Pesto Tart has four main ingredients — puff pastry (store-bought, because ain’t nobody got time to make that from scratch), shredded cheddar cheese, pesto sauce (store-bought or homemade, your choice!), and 5-6 heirloom tomatoes.
I absolutely love the way all of these ingredients pair together! The puff pastry is buttery and chewy while the tomatoes and cheese are a classic combination, and the pesto is just an all-around flavor bomb. Seriously, I’ve never met a person who doesn’t love pesto.
Now, although I said this is hardly a recipe, I do have a few tips to share which will ensure this tart is a success when you make it.
Fully thaw your puff pastry before unfolding
If you try to unfold the puff pasty before it’s fully defrosted you run the risk of breaking the pastry which will ruin the delicate layers of butter. The layers of butter are key in making puff pastry puff. Also, after the pastry is baked, you may have an uneven terrain which makes laying the sliced tomatoes on top difficult. For this, just simply press the overly puffed parts flat before layering the tomatoes.
puff pastry with pesto prior to baking
Use a sharp knife to cut the tomatoes
This may sound like a no-brainer but in order to achieve beautiful tomato slices, you need a very sharp knife. In fact, before I cut my tomatoes, I sharpened my knife which ensured I could easily cut through the tomatoes without squashing them. Remember, you want your tomatoes to be round not oval.
heirloom tomatoes
Scissors are best for cutting the tart
I find using scissors to be the easiest way to cut this Summertime Tomato Pesto Tart. I also like to use the ‘tomato rows’ as guides for cutting slices. I’ve tried using a knife for the tart and found that when I cut it with a knife, it pulled the tomatoes across, forcing me to layer everything a second time whereas the scissors left everything in place.
puff pastry with pesto and cheese baking in the oven
Heirloom tomatoes work best
The layered, colorful tomatoes on top of the tart make an impressive presentation. The colors often draw the attention of a crowd if you’re choosing to serve the Summertime Tomato Pesto Tart as an appetizer so, when choosing tomatoes for this recipe, you should select a variety of colors. Not only for the ‘wow’ factor the color brings but because different colored heirloom tomatoes have different flavors.
- red or pink will be more of a classic tomato flavor with a balance of sweet and acidity
- brown or black tomatoes have an earthy, smokey flavor
- yellow tomatoes are sweeter with less acidity and are a great starter tomato for anyone who claims to dislike tomatoes
I also truly love this recipe because it’s so versatile when it comes to serving. You can make the tart ahead of time then layer the tomatoes on right before serving as an appetizer at a party. Or, you can make it fresh and serve it while still warm as an easy, summertime dinner for a family.
Either way, it’s delicious and sure to please.
Are you a tomato fan? How else do you use heirloom tomatoes?
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- ¼ cup pesto sauce, homemade or store-bought
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- 5-6 medium heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
- olive oil, for serving
- fresh basil, for serving
- coarse sea salt, for serving
- ground black pepper, for serving
- Preheat the oven to 425F and line a large baking pan with parchment paper
- Unfold the puff pastry onto the prepared baking sheet, gently smoothing out any fold marks
- Spread the pesto over the puff pastry leaving about a half-inch around the edge as a crust
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the pesto covered pastry
- Bake the pastry for 15-18 minutes until the pastry is puffed and the cheese is golden in color
- Remove from oven and allow the pastry to cool for 10-15 minutes
- Layer the sliced tomatoes on top of the pastry
- Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh basil, and a heavy pinch of coarse sea salt and black pepper