Tomato Basil Tart with Polenta Crust

Recipe From What's For Lunch, Honey?

Adapted from Donna Hay’s recipe in Fresh and LightBy Meeta K. Wolff

Published: 17 September 2014

This is a luscious tart with a crispy polenta crust and silky soft and moist roasted tomatoes in a bed of creamy cheese.

Polenta Tomato Basil Tart (0069)

Prep Time: 60 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

  • 4-5 Roma tomatoes, halved

  • 8 sprigs thyme

  • 75g all-purpose flour

  • 170g instant polenta

  • 120g unsalted butter

  • 80ml water

  • sea salt & cracked black pepper

  • 300g cream cheese

  • 3 eggs

  • handful basil leaves, chopped

  • 25g parmesan cheese, grated

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. In a baking tray place the tomatoes, cut-side up. Sprinkle with thyme and some cracked pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes until slightly softened, Remove from oven and set aside.

  2. Reduce the heat to 180 degrees C. Make the polenta crust, place polenta, flour, butter, water, and salt in a food processor and process until you have a smooth dough. Line a tart or spring form (24cm) with the crust, pressing the dough with your fingers towards and up the sides of the form. Place some baking paper on top of the crust and fill with dried beans. Blind bake the crust 15 minutes, remove beans and paper and bake for a further 10 minutes until the dough is crisp.

  3. In the meantime, make the filling, place cream cheese, eggs, in a food processor and whizz till the mixture is smooth. Stir through the chopped basil and parmesan then pour the filling into the pastry shell. Place the roasted tomatoes into the filling. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the filling has set. Serve the tart warm with plenty of green salad.

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