There is something perfect about the combo of juicy tomatoes and great mayo. This recipe is a luxurious, fresh take on the theme, made into a tart utilizing bountiful heirloom tomatoes at peak ripeness and summer herbs, transformed into a bright, lush aioli. The results are dazzling to look at and beyond delicious.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 1/4-1/2 cup sorrel / wood sorrel / tarragon
- 1/4 cup mint
-
1/4 cup La Tourangelle Avocado Oil
-
1/2 cup La Tourangelle Grapeseed Oil
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 3 duck egg yolks (if you can't find these, use 3 large free range chicken egg yolks)
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1-2 cloves garlic, finely grated on a microplane
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups AP flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 sticks butter, cut into small cubes, freezer cold
- Scant tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 free range egg
- 1/4-1/2 cup cold buttermilk
- 5-7 heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
For the summer herb aioli:
For the pastry:
For the tomato filling:
Directions
For the aioli:
Make the aioli at least 1 day in advance: in a blender, combine avocado oil, vinegar, herbs, garlic, and salt to taste, and blend until uniform. Add a single yolk and the mustard and blend on high speed to incorporate.
- Add the second yolk and another pinch of salt and blend, and with the motor running, in a bare drizzle add 1/2 the grape seed oil through the lid insert. The aioli will begin to thicken as it emulsifies.
- Add the last yolk, blend, and repeat: at a bare drizzle add the last half of the grape seed oil while blending, approximately 1 minute. You should see an impression left if you drag a spatula through the sauce. If aioli needs thickening, continue blending to emulsify the mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed (blend again to incorporate), transfer to a jar and secure the lid, and refrigerate. The aioli will further thicken as it chills.
For the crust:
Pulse dry pastry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor to combine. Add butter and pulse in intervals until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with numerous pea-sized bits. Crack the egg and add it in, pulsing briefly to combine. Drizzle in the buttermilk with the machine running at 3 second intervals until the dough holds together. Be careful not to over-mix. To test: remove processor top and squeeze a clump of dough between your fingers. If it holds together it is ready. If not, add a little more buttermilk, pulsing as you do so.
- Empty dough out onto cellophane laid onto your work surface, into two equal piles. Work all the bits in one pile together into a cohesive ball, then flatten into a disk and wrap securely. Repeat with the second batch. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes for the dough to mellow. This can be done up to 3 days in advance.
- Roll out pastry on a lightly floured work surface, making 1/4 turns as you roll, until dough is 1/8-inch thick.
Assembly:
- Drape pastry in a fluted tart pan with a removable base, gently lifting it at the edges to settle it flush to base of pan, leaving no air pockets. Gently press pastry flush into the fluted circumference and then roll pin along top of pan to trim excess dough. (Add the scraps to the second disk, and either use within 5 days or freeze, wrapping it in a layer of foil, then a resealable plastic bag, for up to 3 months.)
- Dock tart base and sides with a fork and chill at least 2 hours, up to overnight. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill with dry beans/rice or baking weights, making sure there are more lining the periphery than the center.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until tart edges turn golden. Remove baking weights and parchment and bake for a further 7-10 minutes, or until tart base is golden and opaque. Cool fully on a wire rack.
- Remove tart shell from its tin and transfer to a serving platter. Spoon aioli into tart, swirling the sauce flush to pastry edge. You may have some leftover.
- Shingling them in places, layer tomato slices to form a design to your liking. Add a final sprinkle of freshly ground pepper, scatter herb flowers on top, and serve at once.