RECIPE: Tomato-Lemon Tart

Using frozen puff pastry is the shortcut that makes this tart a new summer weeknight favorite recipe.

·       1 sheet frozen puff pastry (one 14-ounce package or half of a 17.3-ounce package), thawed

·       All-purpose flour (for dusting)

·       1 garlic clove, finely grated

·       2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for serving

·       1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds, preferably on a mandoline, seeds removed

·       1 cup torn basil leaves

·       1 pound ripe tomatoes (about 3 medium), sliced ¼ inch thick, patted dry with paper towels

·       Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

·       Crème fraîche (for serving)

·       Preheat oven to 375°. Roll out puff pastry on a sheet of lightly floured parchment paper, smoothing out creases, to a large rectangle measuring about 15x10". Prick pastry in a few places with a fork, leaving a 1" border around the edges, then slide parchment paper onto a rimmed baking sheet.

·       Combine garlic and 1 Tbsp. oil in a small bowl and brush dough with garlic oil, staying within border. Arrange lemon slices in a single layer over brushed pastry, then scatter basil over lemon slices.

·       Arrange tomatoes on top (a little overlap is okay). Sprinkle with lots of salt and a few grinds of pepper, then drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil.

·       Bake tart until edges of pastry are browned, puffed, and crisp, 30–35 minutes. Let tart cool 10 minutes before cutting into 8 pieces. Drizzle with more oil and top each with a dollop of crème fraîche.

Notes:

First, let’s start with the frozen puff pastry. You’re going to find it in the freezer aisle of your supermarket, by the frozen pizzas. They’ll usually come in a pack of two or four and TBH, this tart is as good leftover as it is hot, so make more than one! Oh, and it needs to thaw overnight in the fridge. This part is non-negotiable—if you try to work with it while it's frozen, it'll crack, and if you try to thaw it quickly it'll get weird and gummy.

Moving on. You’re preheating your oven to 375°F degrees and rolling your puff pastry onto parchment paper. IMPORTANT: wax paper and parchment paper aren’t the same thing, and you don’t want your oven to become a big old smoke box. Make yourself a drink, take a big sip, and then prick the rolled out dough with a fork a few times in the center of the dough, which will allow steam to escape and help the thing keep its shape. Combine a clove of grated garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil in a little bowl, and brush this garlicky oil onto the PP. (PP stands for puff pastry, obvs.) If you don’t have a pastry brush, neither do I. Use your fingers! It’s fun, promise.

Then, you’re going to slice half of a lemon thinly and scatter those slices—rind and all, but without the seeds!—all over your PP. Use as much as you’d like, though I prefer it a little light on the lemon and heavy on the tomatoes. toss some torn basil onto your tart. Then you’re going to cut up your tomatoes into rounds and layer that onto your puff pastry. A little overlap is good! This is a tomato tart in case you forgot. You’re going to sprinkle with a generous amount of salt, pepper and oil and throw that bad boy into the oven. It’ll probably take about 35 minutes, but just watch for browning on the edges and bottom of the pastry!  grab some creme fraiche or ricotta on the way over to dollop on top.