the taste of patience

Garden grown tomatoes are the product of patience. In fact, that to me is what patience tastes like - a juicy, savory-sweet, home grown tomato. Unlike their supermarket counterparts, homegrown tomatoes  live a luxurious life; never prematurely picked, they hang proudly off their vines, bathing in sunshine until they are ripe. "You haven't eaten a tomato until you've eaten one from the garden," my father once said to me. With an abundance of ripe tomatoes at farmer's markets right now this recipe for a tomato tart seems the perfect way to showcase the bright flavor of this summertime delight. Aside form tomatoes, the other main ingredient is the crust and I would trust none other than Immaculate Baking Company's pie crust for the job.

Summer Tomato Tart

2-3 ripe garden grown tomatoes (about 1 pound), sliced thin
8 ounces sliced fresh mozzarella
1 Immaculate Baking Co. pie crust
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Chopped fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Press pie crust into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Line the bottom of the tart shell with sliced mozzarella. Arrange the tomatoes over the cheese in a ring around the edge of the tart and a second ring in the center. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.

Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has started to brown in spots, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes. Remove side of tart pan and slide tart onto a platter before slicing. Sprinkle with freshly chopped basil. Tart may be covered and kept at room temperature for 6 hours.