{recipe} Tomato Tart with Corn and Herbed Ricotta

Summer is a wonderful time up in Sonoma wine country – with long days of sunshine, lots of swimming, great vineyard views, and fun time with friends. I’m always stumped about what to make for lunch, though. I often throw together some ahi tuna poke, since we have a great local source for ahi, everyone loves it, and it’s quick to put together. But in the summer, I strive to find creative ways to utilize all of the gorgeous fresh produce available at our local farmer’s market. Hence, this simple but lovely tart.

This tart is really easy to put together and lets the summer’s beautiful tomatoes shine. The crispy phyllo crust is a perfect foil for the bursting, juicy tomatoes. Ricotta is folded with fresh herbs and lemon zest to make a base for the tomatoes. A sprinkling of fresh corn off the cob adds a bit of sweetness.

To moisten the phyllo, you can use a combination of melted butter and olive oil as I do, or all olive oil, or all butter.

I like to serve it with a big bowl of arugula tossed with lemon juice and olive oil. Happy summer!

RECIPE: Tomato Tart with Corn & Herbed Ricotta
serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box phyllo dough (18-20 sheets; found in the freezer section)
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• about 2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese (15 oz container works well)
• zest of 1 lemon
• 3 Tblsp chopped chives
• 1 Tblsp chopped fresh oregano or thyme
• 1 1/2 to 2 lbs tomatoes, sliced
• 1 corn cob, corn sliced off
• salt and pepper

METHOD:

• Remove phyllo from freezer for about an hour before using. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Mix melted butter and olive oil in a bowl.
• Prepare a half sheet pan with a sheet of parchment paper. Lay a sheet of phyllo on (it should just fit, with maybe a bit extra hanging off.) Brush with butter/oil mixture. Lay another sheet on top and repeat until you have used all of the phyllo. DO NOT WORRY if the sheets break or if you need to fold them in on the sides to fit the pan – since you are just building up many layers and leaving it flat, it does not need to be perfect.
• In a bowl, combine ricotta, lemon zest, 2 Tblsp of the chives, the oregano or thyme, and a large pinch of salt. Spread ricotta over phyllo, leaving about 1/2 inch around the edge uncovered.
• Place tomatoes and corn on top of ricotta in a pretty pattern. Sprinkle with salt and some freshly ground pepper.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until edges are brown and crisp. Remove from oven and let cool about 10 minutes.Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of chives. Serve with a simple, lemony arugula salad.