Roasted Tomato and Leek Tart: Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #5

Now that my Sunday morning routine involves a trip to Dupont for the farmer's market, I've started to make some farmer friends.  It's like that cooking channel commercial, food people are inclusive which is why a group like Foodie Friends Friday is so great.  We just want to share food, whether talking, writing, making, or eating.  So this week, I decided to make a tomato tart to highlight the food friends I've made and celebrate the linky party!

Every week, I go to the same tomato guy for super juicy ginormous tomatoes that almost rival a farm stand on the way to the beach tomato.  I had been scrolling through the french issue of Gourmet Live (source material for the 50 Women Game Changers Group) when I was waking up that morning and saw the most beautiful tomato tart.  I knew I wanted to try to make my own, so I grabbed a few extra tomatoes from my tomato guy, picked up some leeks and puff pastry, and got to roasting!

I've roasted plum and cherry tomatoes a bunch, but never big giant tomatoes.  I wasn't sure if I should seed them first, so I just left them be and thought that I could get them out in the end.  Hind site?  I think I would have deseeded just to ensure there wasn't any excess moisture in the tart that could potentially prevent the pastry to puff.  The roasted tomatoes were layered over puff pastry rolled out and covered with a creamy leek base.

I was a total sucker for the leeks, eating a spoonful here and there while the tomatoes were roasting.  I "melted" them by sauteing in butter over a low heat.  Once the leeks had been slowly browned, I added nutmeg, goat cheese, and heavy creamy to make the thick and creamy leek spread.  The whole tart was topped off with a little more goat cheese, creating a medley of flavors from the sweet tomatoes, warmth from the nutmeg, buttery crust, and tangy goat cheese.  To say I devoured this tart would be an understatement, but don't tell...

The Linky Part hosts this week are:

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom

Robyn at Robyn's View

Angie at A lil Country Sugar

Sarah at Everything in the Kitchen Sink

Michelle at From Calculus to Cupcakes

Marlys at This and That

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine

Lindsey at Family Food Finds

Cindy at Cindys Recipes and Writings

Keira at Luscious Delights

Tami at Food Forays

Go check out their awesome blogs, submit a link to an original recipe of your own below, and share the foodie friends love!



Roasted Tomato and Leek Tart
3-4 large tomatoes
2 leeks, whites and light green bits only
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons goat cheese
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of dried thyme leaves
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed in the fridge
1 egg for egg wash
salt and pepper to taste throughout

Begin by roasting the tomatoes.  Cut into quarters, seed at your will, and toss to coat in olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and roast in a 400 F oven for about 1 hour, until the tomatoes are caramelized and soft.

While the tomatoes are roasting, prepare the leeks.  Clean them up by cutting off the ends, slicing the stalk vertically and then half moons into each half, and letting soak in a large bowl filled with water.

Dry thoroughly and begin to make the leek spread.  Start on medium low heat and melt the 2 tablespoons of butter.  Add the cleaned leek slices and let "melt" by sauteing for about 10-12 minutes.  Be wary of fast browning, you want to go as slowly as possible.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add the nutmeg and thyme leaves, turn up the heat to medium, and cook for another 2 minutes.  Finally, add the heavy cream and goat cheese and let reduce.  You should end up with a thick leek spread in about 3 minutes or so.

To assemble the tart, roll out the puff pastry dough with a few passes of a floured rolling pin and seal any seams, spread the leek mixture on the dough so you still have about a half inch edge of pastry all around, and top with the roasted tomatoes.  Brush the edges lightly with an egg wash and bake for 10-12 minutes at 425 F, until the crust is golden brown.

Let set for about 5 minutes before topping with another few crumbles of goat cheese.  Serve up and enjoy!

Now onto the Linky Party!

Step 1:  Make sure that anything you link up is:

• A Recipe...and is made and photographed by you
• Not part of a sponsership/sales/giveaway or other promotions/linky parties
• Linked to a specific page of your recipe, not your homepage
• Please limit your link-ups to 3 per party

Step 2:

• Show some love and link back to my blog and Foodie Friends Friday (http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com ) on the post of the recipe you are submitting.

* for example:  This recipe is featured on "Host Blog Link" and  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com  Linky Party)

If you want to be the very best Foodie Friend Ever...

• Grab our button at http://foodiefriendsfriday.com and put it on your page and share Foodie Friends Friday!
• Take some time and check out other submitted links and the blogs of all of our gracious hosts
• Come on over and "like" us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter and Pinterest