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Fresh mozzarella, ripe cherry tomatoes, and basil are piled on top of store-bought puff pastry for this savory summer caprese tart!
I think we can all agree that this has been a tough summer. We’ve had no shortage of reasons to feel anxious, worried, angry, heavy-hearted, and disappointed. For me, moments of levity have been found in the small things: the unexpected call from a friend to check in, silently watching the rabbits through the kitchen window, finally finding bread flour at the grocery store. I’ve spent a lot of time in my yard this year, and though you might not know it if you walked by the front, the back yard is rewarding me with tomatoes, basil, and seemingly endless jalapeño peppers (accepting all recipe tips in the comments below).
Working quietly in my yard and in the kitchen has been a simple comfort during uncertainty. I’m learning new skills and trying to learn to be at peace amidst the chaos too. This tart is a reflection of that I suppose. It came together quite naturally with the tomatoes and basil I had from the yard, mozzarella in the fridge, and puff pastry I had in the freezer. (Side note: I pretty much always keep puff pastry in the freezer. Top with any cheese, pesto, tapenade, etc and you can have great appetizers ready in a pinch).
I had some leftover garlic basil oil that I’d made earlier in the week, so it seemed a great fit for the base of this tart. I spooned a generous portion on the puff pastry dough, and then topped with torn mozzarella. I’m partial to fresh mozzarella with summer tomatoes, but of course you can top with any cheese you like best.
Next I piled on the cherry tomatoes, leaving a bit of room on the edges for a “crust.”
Once the tart has baked in the oven (and your house smells heavenly), you can top with the fresh basil and spoon even more garlic basil oil on top. I love this for brunch, lunch, and dinner with lightly peppered salad greens and a crisp glass of white wine. This caprese tart also works well as an appetizer.
Pairs well with:
- Simple Arugula Salad
- Whole30 Avocado Deviled Eggs
- Sauvignon Blanc (or other crisp white wine)
Looking for more summer tomato recipes? These may interest you:
- Warm Halloumi + Zucchini Salad (with blistered tomatoes)
- Sugar Snap Pea, Corn + Tomato Summer Salad
- Tomato, Cucumber + Beet Salad
- Food Processor Marinara Sauce
Caprese Tart with Garlic Basil Oil
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Fresh mozzarella, ripe cherry tomatoes, and basil are piled on top of store-bought puff pastry for this savory summer caprese tart with garlic basil oil!
Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
- 6 oz fresh mozzarella
- 2 Tbsp food processor basil garlic oil
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 5 fresh basil leaves, removed from stems
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Trim a piece of parchment paper to fit your baking sheet (or use these handy pre-cut parchment baking sheets. A personal favorite!)
- Transfer the parchment paper to the counter and sprinkle with flour. Roll the thawed puff pastry out onto the parchment paper to roughly 11 inches by 14 inches (if you are working with a smaller baking sheet, roll to fit your baking sheet dimensions). Transfer the parchment paper with puff pastry onto your baking sheet.
- Rinse, dry, and halve the tomatoes.
- Slice the fresh mozzarella into rounds 1/2 an inch thick, then tear into pieces.
- Rinse the fresh basil leaves and gently pat dry. Slice into ribbons.
- Brush the basil garlic oil onto the puff pastry. Top with the torn mozzarella. Arrange halved tomatoes on top, and drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until edges are puffed and golden brown. Top with the fresh basil and additional basil garlic oil, if you like. Cut into squares and serve warm.
Notes
Serve as an appetizer or pair with a lightly dressed green salad for brunch, lunch, or dinner.
