Cherry Tomato Tart (and dreaming of summer)

     Honestly, this is a tart that should really be made at the height of tomato season.  Since cherry tomatoes are all that fill this buttery tart shell, having the best-tasting ingredients possible will really make it shine.  After the winter we have endured, and with more snow and below zero temps predicted, I am just so desperate for the warmth and tastes of summer.  Ignoring my better judgement, I succumbed to temptation and made a tart with cherry tomatoes.  Large tomatoes are something I never purchase out of season, but cherry tomatoes will have a sweetness to them even this time of year, and the long slow roast in the oven concentrates the flavor and sweetness of these little tomatoes even more.  This tart is certainly the way to go if you are craving fresh tomatoes like me.
     I am showing the recipe below just as it appeared in Food & Wine magazine.  In the tart I made, I veered a bit from the recipe below by substituting a favorite tart dough recipe from Alice Waters (recipe HERE)...  Bon Appétit

   • 1 1/2  cups all-purpose flour
   • Salt
   • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
   • 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
   • 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
   • 2 tablespoons shredded basil leaves

1. Butter a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. In a food processor, pulse the flour with a pinch of salt and the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cream and pulse until the dough nearly comes together. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead a few times. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 325°. Roll out the dough to a 14-inch round. Press the round into the tart pan; trim off any excess. Mound the tomatoes in the shell. Bake for about 1 hour and 40 minutes, or until the dough is evenly browned. Let cool. Season with salt, garnish with the basil and serve.

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