Chef's Recipes

Tomato and herb tarts

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for tomato and herb tarts from C'est Bon, Brisbane.

  • 45 mins preparation
  • 15 mins cooking plus resting, cooling
  • Serves 8
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Tomato and herb tarts
"C'est Bon's parmesan biscuits topped with tomato and herb salad would make wonderful party canapés. Do you think they would care to share the recipe?"
Joan Woolley, Gold Coast, Qld
REQUEST A RECIPE
To request a recipe, write to Fare Exchange, Australian Gourmet Traveller, GPO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 2001, or email fareexchange@bauer-media.com.au. Please include the restaurant's name and address or business card, as well as your name and address.

Ingredients

  • 8 Roma tomatoes
  • 200 ml olive oil
  • 2 golden shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp thyme leaves
  • ¼ cup basil, plus extra to serve (loosely packed)
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped chives, plus extra to serve
  • 2 tbsp chervil sprigs, plus extra to serve
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • Pinch of caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • Juice of ½ lemon
Parmesan biscuits
  • 100 gm parmesan, finely grated
  • 80 gm plain flour
  • 40 gm butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • ½ tsp dried yeast

Method

Main
  • 1
    For parmesan biscuits, process ingredients in a food processor until a dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate to rest (30 minutes). Preheat oven to 180C. Divide dough in half, press lightly with the palm of your hand to flatten then, working with a piece at a time, feed through a pasta machine, starting with rollers at widest setting. Fold in half lengthways, feed through again, then repeat, reducing settings notch by notch until dough is 4mm thick. Cut out 8 rounds with a 10cm-diameter cutter and transfer to oven trays lined with baking paper and bake until golden and crisp (8-10 minutes). Set aside to cool.
  • 2
    Blanch tomatoes until skins split (15-30 seconds), drain, refresh in iced water and drain again. Peel (discard skins), cut into quarters and remove seeds (reserve seeds). Combine with oil, shallot and thyme in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to just below the simmer, then set aside to cool. Strain (reserve oil for dressing) and combine in a bowl with basil, chives, chervil, garlic and sugar and season to taste.
  • 3
    Process balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, reserved tomato seeds and reserved oil in a food processor to combine. Season to taste and strain through a fine sieve.
  • 4
    Divide parmesan biscuits among plates, top with tomato mixture and extra herbs, drizzle with dressing, season to taste and serve.

Notes

Note C'est Bon's French chef Anthony Weyand says this dish is a summer take on a tarte Tatin. The parmesan biscuits can be made a day ahead; keep them stored in an airtight container.