Slow-Roasted Tomato & Feta Tart
This special recipe is an excerpt from Adeena Sussman’s book, Shabbat: Recipes and Rituals from My Table to Yours. She was a guest on my podcast sharing how to find joy in cooking (and entertaining) with food that infuses rest and relaxation.
Puff pastry may have experienced a period of . . . ahem . . . overuse, marked by the Shabbat-table ubiquity of individual-appetizer pastry rounds served hot and topped with a savory mushroom sauce. This recipe goes in the opposite direction, showcasing to excellent effect the versatility of things I often have in the house and allowing me to serve them at room temperature. My Shabbat strategy for this one is to bake the pastry, leave it whole for ease, then have the tomatoes and cheese ready. Then I assemble the tart just before serving. Puff pastry holds well overnight; just make sure not to seal before completely cooled or it can go soggy.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 10 to 12
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
FOR THE TOMATOES:
16 medium vine-ripened tomatoes (about 3 pounds), cored and halved
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
8 fresh thyme sprigs, plus leaves for garnish
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE TART:
1 standard 9.75 × 10.5-inch puff pastry sheet, defrosted
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for serving
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 ounces (1/2 cup) crumbled feta cheese
This special recipe is an excerpt from Adeena Sussman’s book, Shabbat: Recipes and Rituals from My Table to Yours. She was a guest on my podcast sharing how to find joy in cooking (and entertaining) with food that infuses rest and relaxation.
Puff pastry may have experienced a period of . . . ahem . . . overuse, marked by the Shabbat-table ubiquity of individual-appetizer pastry rounds served hot and topped with a savory mushroom sauce. This recipe goes in the opposite direction, showcasing to excellent effect the versatility of things I often have in the house and allowing me to serve them at room temperature. My Shabbat strategy for this one is to bake the pastry, leave it whole for ease, then have the tomatoes and cheese ready. Then I assemble the tart just before serving. Puff pastry holds well overnight; just make sure not to seal before completely cooled or it can go soggy.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 10 to 12
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
FOR THE TOMATOES:
16 medium vine-ripened tomatoes (about 3 pounds), cored and halved
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
8 fresh thyme sprigs, plus leaves for garnish
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE TART:
1 standard 9.75 × 10.5-inch puff pastry sheet, defrosted
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for serving
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 ounces (1/2 cup) crumbled feta cheese
METHOD
Make the tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the tomatoes, cut sides up, on the lined baking sheet. Drizzle with the 1/4 cup olive oil, then scatter the thyme sprigs on top and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Bake until the tomatoes shrink and wilt and most of the liquid pooled on top of the tomatoes evaporates, 4 to 5 hours (speed up this process by roasting at 350°F for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours; tomatoes will be less dense in texture, but work well nonetheless). Cool completely, then gently layer the tomatoes in a bowl. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over the tomatoes and seal in an airtight container; the tomatoes will keep, refrigerated, for 1 week.
Make the tart: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the puff pastry on a sheet of parchment and roll it out slightly (to about 11 × 12 inches). Pierce all over with a fork. Whisk the egg and mustard in a small bowl and brush on the tart, season with the salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool completely.
To assemble the tart, layer the tomatoes on top of the pastry, scatter the feta on top, garnish with thyme leaves, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut into squares and serve.
From Shabbat by Adeena Sussman, published by Avery, and imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © by Adeena Sussman 2023.
Subscribe
Be the first to know
Sign up for recipes and tips to change the way you eat, think, and live.


