Fresh tomato and feta cheese tart

Fresh tomato and feta cheese tart

Serves 4-6 as a starter or 2 as a main course

• 1 sheet of puff pastry (I used a 275g one) of a rectangular shape
• 250 g of feta cheese or more to your liking
• 3-4 tablespoons of double cream
• 1 egg, lightly beaten and mixed with a teaspoon of milk 
• 4-6 ripe tomatoes of different colours
• a combination of fresh herbs: basil, parsley, coriander, oregano or mint
• salt
• pepper

Heat the oven to 180 C.

Roll out the pastry to make the base of the tart. I stay with the actual size of the pastry and don’t roll it out to a thinner larger size.

Put the pastry base on baking tray lined with baking parchment. Create a border all the way round by lightly running a knife 2cm from the edge. Prick the rest of the pastry all over with a fork.

Put a rectangle of baking parchment, cut to the size of the inside of the border, over the pastry.

Weight it down with baking beans (I sometimes use coins or dry beans instead). Brush the borders with the egg wash.

Put the pastry in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove the beans and the baking parchment and carry on baking for another 20-25 minutes, until the whole pastry turns golden in colour and seems dry.

Take it out of the oven and leave to cool.

In the meantime work the feta and the cream until it turns into a smooth paste.

Spread it evenly inside the prepared pastry case.

Cut the tomatoes into thicker slices or any shape you prefer and arrange them neatly on top of the feta spread.

Season with some salt (not too much, feta is salty enough) and pepper.

Scatter fresh herbs of your choice generously on top and the tart is ready.

I like to squeeze some lemon juice on top.

*Feta cheese can be replaced with a goat’s cheese or ricotta.  Subsequently this will result in a tart with a much milder taste.