Rustic Tomato Tart

This is a big flavoured tart that makes the most of summer tomatoes and would be excellent  served with a crisp green salad

The elements of this tart can be separately prepared and assembled just before serving.

The tomatoes and the onion can be cooked 2 days before using and stored in the fridge, they just need to be bought back to room temperature before assembling the tart.

The tart can be made from scratch or you can use a couple of shortcuts and still end up with a totally delicious product.

Careme make a wonderful frozen sour cream shortcrust pastry that is ready to use. it is available in the freezer of good supermarkets and food stores.

A good quality onion jam or caramelised onion could be purchased and used.

Sour Cream pastry

200g chilled butter, chopped

250g plain flour

1/2 cup sour cream

Blitz everything in a food processor until the mixture just starts to form a ball.

Pat out into a large rectangle and cover in cling film before chilling in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll the pastry out to form a 30x20cm rectangle. {you will have excess pastry left over]

Cut 4 strips of pastry out of the excess 3cm wide to fit the borders of the rectangle and press the down to form a rim.

Any left over pastry will keep in the fridge or freezer.

Brush the pastry with a beaten egg and bake in a 180c preheated oven for 30 minutes.

2 cups mixed cherry tomatoes

4tbs olive oil

2 brown onions, cut in half and thinly sliced

1/2 cup Persian feta

Toss the cherry tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in a preheated 160c for 30 minutes.

Saute the onion gently in the remaining olive oil until they are soft and a golden colour, stirring occasionally. [this should take around 30 minutes]

When the tart shell has cooled slightly, spread the base with the feta.

Dollop the onion evenly over the cheese.

Pile the tomatoes on top and sprinkle with baby basil leaves if you like.