Tomato Mozzarella Tart with Basil Garlic Crust

For the dough:
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1-2 cloves garlic
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. kosher salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 8-10 pieces*(see notes)
4-5 tbsp. ice cold water

For the filling:
8 oz. mozzarella, sliced (fresh or regular)
Ripe roma tomatoes, sliced from top to bottom (to make circles)
2-3 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1-2 tbsp. minced fresh basil


To make the dough, combine the basil and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until finely minced. Add the flour and salt; pulse briefly to combine. Add in the chunks of butter and pulse about 10 times, or until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs. Add 3 tablespoons of the water and pulse a few times to incorporate. Add 1 more tablespoon and process for several seconds to see if the dough forms a ball. If not, add the remaining tablespoon of water and process until a ball of dough forms. Remove the dough, flatten into a 5-inch disc, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

When you are ready to bake the tart, preheat the oven to 425° F. Lay out 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a slightly damp surface. Transfer the chilled dough to onto the plastic wrap and lay another 2 sheets on top of it. Roll it out into a 12-inch circle. Remove top sheets and lay the dough over a 9-inch round tart pan (plastic wrap side up) and press it into the sides. Remove remaining plastic wrap. Trim the excess dough as needed. (I use this to reinforce the edges.) Lay a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper loosely over the tart dough and fill the center with baking beads. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil or parchment and baking beads. Return the empty tart shell to the oven to bake for 5 minutes more. Remove from the oven and lower the heat to 375° F.

Layer the bottom of the pre-baked tart shell with the sliced mozzarella. Arrange the roma tomato circles on top of the cheese in a single even layer. Sprinkle with toasted pine nute. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Top with freshly grated Parmesan and minced fresh basil.

Bake about 30 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned in places. About halfway through baking, rotate the tart 180° and wick off any excess moisture that has collected on top with a towel if necessary. Allow the tart to rest at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

NOTES:Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats. As soon as I saw this recipe I knew I had everything and immediately made it for lunch that day. She never fails, it was delish! However, I did feel that the crust had WAY too much butter in it. So, I went to my trusty old Cooking Light books and found several other tart shell recipes that only had a tablespoon or 2 of butter/oil. The next time I make it I will only use 2 tbsp butter.