This Fresh Tomato Mozzarella Tart with Garlic Basil Crust is a delicious way to feature the Italian flavors of margherita pizza. With fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and basil, this tart is perfect for summer but can be enjoyed any time of year.
I love the combination of flavors in margherita pizza, so when I saw this tart many years ago on the site of one of my favorite recipe creators, I immediately wanted to try it. It only took me 16 years to do it!
Every summer would roll around, and I would tell myself this would be the summer to make the tart. Then, life would get busy and time would get away from me, as it always seems to do in the summer.
Last year, I finally committed to making this recipe. Of course, I was kicking myself for waiting so long because we all loved this! In my opinion, you can't go wrong with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil.
This recipe was originally adapted from The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook. At the time, my oldest was a vegetarian, so this tart was a meal that everyone would try. Even my pickiest child was asking for more. I was wishing I owned a second tart pan and had made two!
The garlic basil crust is buttery and flavorful. My oldest was even asking for me to use it for the crust next time I make a quiche.
This tart would be perfect for a tea party or paired with a salad for dinner. It reminds me of the Simple Tomato Tart but with Italian flavors instead of French.
Make the Crust
Start by pulsing together the garlic and basil in the bowl of a food processor.
Add the flour and salt and pulse to combine, then add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.
Add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in a ball.
Form the dough into a disk.
Wrap in plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Par-Bake the Crust
Just like with quiche and pumpkin pie, I think the par-baking step here is important to avoid a soggy crust.
Place the dough onto a floured surface.
Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle.
Transfer the dough to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press it into the pan, then roll a rolling pin over the top to cut a clean edge on the top.
The first time I made the tart, the crust shrank during baking. I worried that the dough was too warm after rolling, so the next time, I chilled the dough a second time in the tart pan before baking. The dough still shrank, although perhaps not as much. I think that is just the nature of this dough, and it does not affect the outcome of the tart.
As with other pastry, I recommend making sure the dough is cold when putting it into the oven. If it has warmed during rolling, slip the dough-lined pan into the refrigerator for about 30-60 minutes to chill the dough before baking.
After chilling, place a crumbled piece of parchment paper over the crust and fill it with pie weights.
Bake the crust then remove the pie weights and parchment and continue to bake until the crust is starting to turn golden.
If you have leftover dough, you can bake it in a tartlet pan.
Assemble the Tart
Using fresh ingredients here is key for the true flavors to shine through.
Slice the cherry tomatoes in half or in several slices if they are large. Cut the fresh mozzarella into ⅜- to ½-inch thick slices. Chop the basil.
Arrange the slices of mozzarella over the crust in a single layer. Add the slices of tomato on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
Top the tomatoes with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and basil.
Bake until golden and bubbly. If the fresh mozzarella is releasing moisture during baking, use a paper towel to wick away the excess.
Serving
Remove the sides of the tart by pressing up from the bottom. Transfer the tart to a cutting board by sliding it off of the removable bottom.
Use a pizza rocker, pizza wheel or sharp knife to cut the tart into wedges.
Variation
You can use full size tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes if you prefer. Slice them into about ⅜-inch thick slices, remove the seeds and pulp, and arrange them on top of the mozzarella just as you would with cherry tomatoes.
A slice of a full sized tomato fits perfectly in my 4-inch tartlet pan.
Gluten Free Option
Use a measure for measure gluten free flour blend, like Bob's Red Mill, in place of the all purpose flour.
📖 Recipe
Fresh Tomato Mozzarella Tart with Garlic Basil Crust
Equipment
- 1 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons butter (chilled and cut into 8 to 10 pieces)
- 3-5 tablespoons ice water
For the Filling:
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella (sliced)
- ripe cherry tomatoes (sliced into ⅜- to ½-inch thick slices)
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1-2 tablespoon minced fresh basil
Instructions
Make the Dough:
- Place the basil and garlic in the bowl of a food processor.⅓ cup fresh basil leaves, 1-2 cloves garlic
- Process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until finely chopped. Add flour and salt; pulse to combine.1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add butter. Pulse about 10 times, or until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.8 tablespoons butter
- Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing several times after each addition. After 3 tablespoons water have been added, process the dough for several seconds to see if the mixture forms a ball. If not, add 1 tablespoon water at a time. Process until dough forms into a ball.3-5 tablespoons ice water
- Remove the dough and flatten into a 5-inch disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. For longer storage, the dough can be placed inside a resealable bag and refrigerated several days or frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, defrost the dough in the refrigerator.
Par-Bake the Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle.
- Lay the dough over the tart pan, and press it into the pan. Roll a rolling pin over the top edges of the pan to achieve a clean cut edge.
- Slip the pan into the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes or freezer for 15 to 20 minutes to chill the dough.
- Cover the dough with a piece of crumbled and unfolded parchment paper. Fill the inside of the tart with pie weights.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the weights and parchment. Return the shell to the oven to bake until the crust is beginning to turn golden, at least 5 minutes.
- Remove the tart from the oven to cool and reduce oven to 375°F.
Assemble and Bake the Tart:
- Cover the bottom of the shell with a single layer of mozzarella. Arrange the cherry tomato slices on top in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.8 ounces fresh mozzarella, ripe cherry tomatoes
- Drizzle with olive oil. Add the Parmesan and basil.1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1-2 tablespoon minced fresh basil
- Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan 180° and wick away excess moisture with a paper towel. Bake for about 15 to 20 more minutes, or until the dough is golden and the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown in spots.
- Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.
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