Tomato, Saffron and Ricotta Tart Recipe

Name: Tomato, Saffron and Ricotta Tart
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: black pepper (to taste); 40 grams butter; 200 grams cherry tomatoes; 2 whole egg; 2 cloves garlic; 1.5 tbsp olive oil; 25 grams parmesan or pecorino cheese; 80 grams plain flour; 100 grams ricotta cheese; 3 strands saffron; salt (to taste); salt (to taste); 80 ml single cream; 4 whole sun dried tomatoes(in oil); 20 ml water

50 Minutes

Serves: 2

homemade tomato and ricotta tartlets Individual short crust pastry cases with a delicious filling homemade tomato pesto topped with an egg, cream, Parmesan, ricotta and saffron filling and finished with oven roasted tomatoes. Delicious starter for a traditional Italian dinner party

Recipe Ingreds

Pastry

40 grams butter
80 grams plain flour
salt (to taste)
20 ml water

Tart

black pepper (to taste)
200 grams cherry tomatoes
2 whole egg
1 tbsp olive oil
25 grams parmesan or pecorino cheese
100 grams ricotta cheese
3 strands saffron
salt (to taste)
80 ml single cream

Pesto

black pepper (to taste)
2 cloves garlic
0.5 tbsp olive oil
salt (to taste)
4 whole sun dried tomatoes(in oil)

Recipe with pictures Steps

Step 1

sieve together the flour and salt into a bowl
cut the butter into cubes
add the butter to the flour
blend until the contents forms a crumb, by hand or using a food processor
if using a food processor empty the contents of the food processor into a large bowl

Step 2

add the water minimising mixing
form a ball and flatten
place the pastry ball in a plastic bag
place in the fridge to rest for 10 minutes

Step 3

peel and crush the garlic using the garlic crusher or chop finely
blend the sun dried tomatoes with the garlic using the hand liquidiser
add the olive oil while continuing to blend the tomatoes until the pesto has a thick pouring consistency
season with salt and pepper
set a side

Step 4

set the oven to 180C 350F or gas mark 4
lightly dust a clean work surface with flour
roll out the pastry into a circle to fit the flan dishes
fit pastry into flan dish
prick the pastry cases
trim the pastry to fit the flan dish
Cover in cling film and Place in the fridge to cool for 10 minutes

Step 5

wash the cherry tomatoes and then slice in half
place the tomato halves on the baking tray with a half the olive oil mix the tomatoes in the oil
place in the oven
bake for 8 to 10 mins
remove from the oven
set a side

step 6

remove the pastry case(s) from the fridge and place in the oven
bake for 8 to 10 mins
remove from the oven
set a side

Step 7

Soak the saffron in a tbsp of warm water
add the egg(s) to the jug
beat the eggs
Add the cream

Step 8

add the ricotta cheese to the jug
add the saffron water
blend using the hand liquidiser

Step 9

finely grate the parmesan
add to the jug
mix the ingredients
season with salt and pepper

Step 10

spread a thin layer of pesto on the tart base
pour in the cheese mixture
place the roasted tomatoes cut side up into the tart
place the tart in the oven and cook for 20 mins
cook until the tart is set and lightly brown

Step 11

remove the tarts from the oven
place the tart on the plate

Recipe Utensils

1 baking tray
2 chopping board
1 food processor
1 Garlic crusher
1 grater
2 hand liquidiser
2 individual flan dish
1 jug
2 large knife
1 medium bowl
1 plastic bags
1 rolling pin
1 sieve

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How to make tomato and ricotta tart

The individual pastry cases should be blind baked and then lined with a homemade tomato pesto made from garlic, sun dried tomatoes and olive oil. The cherry tomatoes are oven roasted, and the eggs cream, saffron, ricotta and grated parmesan are mixed together. The egg mixture is added to the pastry case and the cherry tomatoes are placed slice side up on the top of the flans. Baked in the oven till the egg mixture sets and is golden brown on top.

When to serve ricotta and tomato flans

These make the perfect starter for a spring or summer dinner party, ideal for an Italian themed dinner party. If your short on time you can use pre bought pastry and also replace the tomato pesto with a shop bought tomato pesto, rather than making your own. These delicious tarts make a posh quiche and would make the ideal brunch or lunch main for a get together with friends

What makes these flans the best

Ricotta makes a delicious base with the eggs for a flan filling giving it a rich taste, pre roasting the cherry tomatoes add that extra tomato flavour along with the tomato pesto base. The star of this dish is the addition of the saffron to the egg mixture giving it an extra flavour combination that really works.

About our tomato, saffron and ricotta tart

This recipe is from the recipe book Paradiso by Dennis Cotter, we loved this recipe, but we loved the subtle flavour of the tart without the olives so in our recipe we omit the olives. Make it with homemade shortcrust pastry or pre prepared shortcrust, we prefer homemade as it is better with a buttery shortcrust.

Other tomato and shortcrust tart starters

Mozzarella Sticks with Rich Tomato Sauce

Leek and Blue Cheese Tartlet with Roasted Tomatoes

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120 Minutes