summer tart

with such an early hot summer this year, the tomatoes at the market have already been full of delicious flavor! here's a simple tomato tart that makes a great lunch or dinner with some fresh greens on the side and a cold glass of white wine.

lots of new work to share with you soon. we've both been busy working for great clients like People, Food Network, Reader's Digest, La Cucina Italiana and more. we'll post some pics later this week but check out the july/aug Food Network mag for Andrew's cover and a beautiful feature on cherries! also check out both of our websites that have been recently updated with new work & tears.

are you on Instagram yet? both of us are and so are lots of other big leo artists - we love sharing behind the scenes, studio views, pretty props and of course lots of food! hoping to escape the city heat soon & really looking forward to this at the end of the month.

have a great week!

Roasted Tomato Tart
serves 4

4 medium roma tomatoes, halved
3 medium kumamoto tomatoes, halved
4 small vine ripened tomatoes, halved
4 tbs olive oil
1 sprig thyme
salt & pepper, plus more for garnish

12 oz all butter puff pastry

2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
4 cloves roasted garlic, smashed into a paste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
12 cherry or yellow pear tomatoes, halved

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. combine tomatoes, olive oil, thyme salt and pepper and spread out in a single layer on a large sheet pan, cut side down. roast for 45 min to 1 hour or until slightly wrinkled but not too browned.

increase oven to 400 degrees F. place puff pastry in a square false bottom tart pan and press up against the edges. prick bottom all over with a fork and fill with foil and baking beads or dried beans. blind bake for 20 minutes. remove foil and beans and return to oven for 8 to 10 more minutes.

in a bowl, combine eggs, milk, goat cheese, garlic and salt and whisk well. carefully arrange roasted tomatoes all over pre baked tart shell and add cherry or yellow pear tomatoes. pour egg mixture over and around tomatoes, filling until almost full but not covering tops of tomatoes. bake 18 to 22 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is set. let cool 15 minutes before slicing.
enjoy!

raspberry jam tartlet

seems like the fall colors are in full effect here in nyc and we've had some gorgeous warm days to wander around the city and enjoy! we've been busy working and playing so far this month - our friend ashleywas in town cooking on a yacht and we had a blast planning menus together and creating dishes in the galley. we'll be posting a few of the delicious dishes we came up with here soon - like sausage pretzel crostini and asian lobster buns! before she headed off to morocco we met for drinks at the breslin in a newly discovered cozy nook upstairs.

looking forward to the holiday issue of sweet paul magazine to come out next week! sporting these cute new toms to support movember and raise awareness for cancers affecting men. we've had 2 memorably great meals out recently - an indulgent comfort food filled dinner at the redhead and amazing pizza at Co.

hope you enjoy this cute little jam tartlet - perfect afternoon snack . . . or sweet treat for breakfast!

Jam Lattice Tartlets

makes 4

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 tbs sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, diced

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp almond extract

2 tbs ice water

1 jar raspberry jam

confectioner's sugar, for serving

in a medium bowl, combine flours, sugar and salt and stir. add butter and using fingers or pastry cutter, work mixture until it resembles a coarse meal with some small pea-size lumps. in a small bowl, whisk together yolk, extract and water and add to flour mixture. stir just until dough comes together and forms a ball. divide dough into 2 balls, flatten into disks and cover in plastic wrap. chill 1 hour.

preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease four 3 1/2-inch tartlet pans with removable bottom. keep on disk in the fridge and cut one disk into 4 equal portions and roll each out between sheets of parchment into a thin round slightly larger than the tartlet pan. transfer each circle to the prepared pan and press lightly to fit into pan. prick the bottom of the tart dough with a fork and chill for 15 minutes in the freezer. bake 15 to 20 minutes or until shells are golden brown. let cool slightly.

distribute jam among 4 pre-baked shells, filling almost to the top. cut remaining disk into 2 parts and roll into circles about 1/8-inch thick. cut into long thin strips with a knife or pastry wheel. assemble a lattice top across each tartlet, trimming the edges of all strips so they are flush with the edge of the pan. bake 20 minutes or until jam is bubbly and top is golden brown. let cool, 15 minutes in pan and then remove from tartlet pan and cool completely on rack.

dust with confectioner's sugar before serving. enjoy!

tart & tangy

like i mentioned earlier, a friend gave me the big sur bakery cookbook for my birthday and i couldn't wait to make something out of it! it's a wonderful cookbook about a quaint eatery in one of the most beautiful places on earth and is filled with great stories of local farmers, fishers & butchers, including the story of a woman named Clovis and her bearss limes. i didn't use that variety of lime for the tart this time but it was still amazing - perfectly balanced between the salty homemade graham crust, tart lime custard and fluffy white meringue topping. reminded me a little of the super tart lemon meringue pie my grandma always made that had everyone around the table puckering. the graham crackers that you make for the crust are a real treat to nibble on while you're making the rest of the pie - or stash them away for later.

have a great weekend!

Clovis's Lime Tart

makes one 10-inch tart

for the graham cracker crumbs:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup plus 1 tbs brown sugar

1 tbs honey

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup plus 1 tbs whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

cream the butter, sugars and honey with the paddle attachment of an electric mixture until light and fluffy. add the remaining ingredients and mix until dough comes together. roll the dough between two pieces of parchment until you have a rough 1/4-inch thick rectangle. chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 3 days. preheat oven to 375 degrees F. peel back the top layer of parchment and place dough on a cookie sheet. bake for 20-25 minutes or until brown. let cool to room temperature. break the graham cracker into pieces and pulse in a food processor until fine.

for the shell:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (see above)

2 tbs sugar

2 tbs unsalted butter, melted

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. in a medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and melted butter. lightly grease a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. sprinkle the crumbs into the pan and use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumbs evenly over the entire pan and up the sides. refrigerate for 20 minutes. bake 7-10 minutes, remove and cool completely on a rack.

for the filling:

1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice

1 cup sugar

6 eggs

1 cup heavy cream

reduce oven to 325 degrees F. whisk together all the filling ingredients in a medium saucepan. cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the liquid is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. pour into cooled crust and back 10-15 minutes or until the filling is set. let the tart cool to room temperature and then place it in the freezer until the filling is firm to the touch, about 25 minutes.

for the meringue:

6 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

increase oven to 400 degrees F. place the egg whites, sugar and salt in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of barely simmering water. whisk the mixture constantly until the sugar dissolves. remove bowl from heat and whisk the whites with an electric mixer on high speed until medium peaks form. add vanilla and whisk to combine. remove tart from the freezer. spread the meringue over the top of the tart, leaving the edges of the shell uncovered. bake 2-4 minutes until the meringue is browned. refrigerate until ready to serve & enjoy!

winter white

how about a goat cheese & honey tart in beautiful shades of white to make up for the lack of winter white weather? this elegant dessert couldn't be easier to make and the simple flavors of tart goat cheese and yogurt are perfectly complimented by a drizzle of local honey. the recipe is inspired by a tart from an old issue of food & wine but i used the crust from this fall tart and think it turned out wonderfully - enjoy!

Goat Cheese & Honey Tart

serves 8

1/4 cup each almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts (toasted & cooled)

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 tbs flax seeds

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

6 tbs chilled unsalted butter, diced

1 egg yolk

11 oz goat cheese

2 cups greek yogurt

2 tbs lime juice

2 tsp lime zest

1/3 cup confectioner's sugar

1/3 cup honey

grease a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. in a food processor, grind nuts, flour, flax, sugar and salt into a fine meal. add butter and pulse until a coarse meal forms. add egg yolk and pulse until moist clumps form. press dough into bottom and sides of pan, about 1/4-inch thick, and pierce bottom with a fork several times. chill for 30 minutes. preheat oven to 400 degrees F. bake crust 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. cool completely.

in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat goat cheese, yogurt, lime juice and zest until combined. add sugar and beat until smooth. spread the filling evenly into the crust and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. just before serving, heat the honey in a small saucepan until it's a thinner consistency and drizzle over tart.

vegetarian dinner

we try to have a vegetarian dinner once a week in our house, which doesn't always happen or isn't always very exciting, but last night it was! needed something quick and easy to go with broccoli & cheese soup and realized that i had a few zucchini and some spinach that needed to be used. so that turned into a delicious zucchini and gorgonzola tart! for dessert i made these cookies - great recipe but trouble because we can't stop eating them!! also anxiously waiting for a cute grey slouch hat to arrive from here discovered via mrs. french. excited to have visitors for the holiday arriving soon and can't wait to get cooking - went here this morning for smoked trout for a dip. also on the menu - cornbread, sausage & apple stuffing, susy's spinach souffle, two kinds cranberry sauce, andy's mashed potatoes, both pumpkin and pecan pie . . . and of course herb roasted turkey with applejack gravy. happy holidays & see you next week!

Zucchini Gorgonzola Tart

serves 6-8

1 cornmeal crust, recipe here

1 tbs olive oil

2 zucchini, cut lengthwise & then into 1/4-inch thick slices

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, sliced

1 cup spinach, roughly chopped

2 tbs chopped parsley

2 tbs chopped basil

1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

1 egg, beaten

6 oz mascarpone cheese

blind bake cornmeal crust according to instructions and let cool slightly while making filling. heat olive oil in a medium skillet and saute zucchini and garlic until softened, about 8-10 minutes. set aside in a large bowl. in same pan, adding more olive oil if needed, saute onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. add spinach and saute 1 minute more or until wilted. add to bowl with zucchini and combine with herbs, cheese, egg and mascarpone. pour into prepared crust and bake at 375 degrees F 25-30 minutes or until set. let cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and eat warm or at room temperature.

roasted grapes

apologies for the lack of posting last week. having a cold in june is no fun at all! at least in the winter you can bundle up in a cozy blanket on the couch with a cup of hot tea and watch holiday movies - but in the summer, it's warm and uncomfortable inside, tortuously sunny outside and there's nothing on tv worth watching but old reruns of top chef and real housewives of where ever. but we are feeling better and ready to cook! this tart is a random creation born out of buying too many beautiful red grapes. the flavors are mostly savory with a hint of sweetness from the roasted grapes and a little wintry with the addition of thyme. perfect for lunch with an arugula salad and a glass of viognier!

Roasted Grape & Shallot Tart

crust:

1 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into chunks

3-4 tbs ice water

preheat oven to 375 degrees F. in a food processor, pulse flour, cornmeal and salt to combine. add butter and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal. add ice water while pulsing, just until dough comes together. press evenly into a 10 1/2 x 7-inch rectangular tart pan with removable bottom. chill 20-30 minutes or until firm. blind bake using foil and pie weights or rice for 12 minutes. remove foil and bake for 5-8 more minutes.

filling:

1 cup red seedless grapes

4 shallots, peeled & sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds

1 small bunch fresh thyme

2 tbs olive oil

8 oz goat cheese, softened

1/2 cup ricotta

1 egg

1/4 tsp lemon zest

salt & pepper

combine grapes, shallots and 5-6 sprigs of thyme on a sheet pan and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. roast at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes or until grapes are shiny but not wilted. remove thyme and set aside. in a small bowl, combine goat cheese, ricotta, egg, lemon zest, salt and pepper. spread evenly in baked tart shell and top with roasted grapes and shallots. bake 20-25 minutes or until filling is set and crust is lightly browned. garnish with a little fresh chopped thyme and fresh cracked black pepper. enjoy!

sneak peek

sorry to tease you today with lovely photos but no recipes. you'll have to wait until the july/august issue here to see the recipes i developed for this red currant tea cake and a fresh berry tart. the assignment made me so excited for summer to arrive! just got the latest issue of this in the mail yesterday and really love molly's article. glad to know rice pudding holds a special place in other people's hearts.

deep purple

i've never been a huge fan of grape flavored anything - popsicles, gum, cough syrup, jelly. it's not my thing. but when i saw this grape jam tart recipe in the october issue of martha stewart living something made me want to try it. the jam almost didn't make it into the tart because it was so good on it's own that i wanted to slather it all over buttered toast or just eat it with a spoon. i don't have a non-fluted tart pan so i made it in a vintage pie tin and it still turned out great. serve a slice at room temperature with a dollop of creme fraiche or plain yogurt and enjoy!

Concord Grape Jam Tart

(from martha stewart living october 2008)

crust:

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 tsp salt

2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/4 cup ice water

in a food processor, pulse flour, sugar and salt. add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. with the machine running, slowly add water until mixture begins to form a ball. remove and shape into 2 disks. wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.

jam:

1 1/2 lbs concord grapes, stems removed

3 tbs lemon juice

1 cup sugar

salt

1 egg

1/4 cup coarse sugar for sprinkling, like turbinado

combine grapes and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over high heat. cook, stirring frequently, until grapes release their juices, about 7 minutes. strain through a fine sieve. return juice to saucepan over high heat, stir in sugar and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer until temperature reaches 220 degrees. transfer to a bowl and cool.

on a lightly floured surface, roll out each disk of dough to 1/8-inch thickness. transfer one round into tart pan or pie tin and trim edges flush with pan. place other round on a sheet pan lined with parchment and freeze both for 15 minutes. 

preheat oven to 375 degrees. spread about 1 cup of grape jam in bottom of pan. brush top edge of dough with 1 beaten egg. slide the remaining dough round on top and press edges to seal. trim excess dough and crimp with a fork. brush top with egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. refrigerate for 30 minutes. bake tart for 15 minutes, then gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles and return to oven for 15 minutes, until golden brown. cool on a wire rack.