My favourite vegetables are tomatoes. I know technically tomatoes are a fruit but in the culinary world they are referred to as vegetables. When the fresh heirloom tomatoes start to show up in the markets during the summer I am in heaven. I love tasting all of the colourful varieties in various shapes and sizes. When you bite into a freshly picked tomato you taste a burst of flavour that makes you smile from the inside out.

Just add a little salt and pepper, a touch of good olive oil and a drizzle of balsamic glaze and you have heaven on a plate.

This Tomato, Goat Cheese and Ricotta Tart has a great mix of flavours from the herbed ricotta and goat cheese layered with fresh tomatoes and baked on a light fluffy, puffed pastry crust. It would make a wonderful appetizer or a great lunch tart served with a green salad.

Tomato, Goat Cheese and Ricotta Tart

Ingredients

½ lb. (225 G) ready rolled puff pastry, thawed (1/2 package)
3 tbsp. roasted pine nuts
2 tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 tbsp. large leaf basil, chopped
5 oz. (150 g) ricotta cheese, drained
4 oz. (100 g) crumbly goat cheese
4-6 assorted seasonal or heirloom tomatoes, sliced (look for a variety of colours and sizes)
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the pastry into 2 pieces and lay on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Turn the edges over by 1/3 inch to make a rough border. Scatter the crust with pine nuts and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Put the ricotta in a small bowl, mix in the herbs and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Spoon the mixture onto the pastries. Crumble the goat cheese over the ricotta mixture. Lay the tomatoes over the cheese mixture arranging the colours around for variety. Sprinkle with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes until the pastry is puffed and the cheese golden. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Food and Travel Magazine