Savory Cherry Tomato Tart
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A savory tart with a flaky crust and a custard filling spiked with fresh herbs, crumbled goat cheese, and roasted cherry tomatoes on the vine. The pastry uses olive oil and almond flour swapped in for butter and all-purpose flour. The filling thickens with arrowroot powder in place of cornstarch. Baked at 190 C for just under half an hour, crisp edges and a firm but tender center. A subtle lemon zest twist adds brightness. Serves four, with a rustic rectangular shape and a balance of tang and creaminess from the cheese and herbs.
Prep:
33 min
Cook:
30 min
Total:
63 min
Servings:
4 servings
#savory pastry
#almond flour
#goat cheese
#cherry tomatoes
#herb tart
#French inspired
#arrowroot thickener
#olive oil tart
Tart doughs can be tricky. Swapping butter for olive oil makes it softer, looser, but almond flour adds a nutty texture and moisture. Whole wheat or regular all-purpose flour aren’t necessary here but just a light touch for structure. Cherry tomatoes on the vine roast slowly, blistering skins and releasing sweetness but not collapsing. The herb mix changes the profile–parsley for brightness, tarragon for a slightly anise note. Goat cheese swapped in for feta to cut harsher salt and soften the tang. Arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch thickens the custard gently and keeps it clear looking. The lemon zest twist would be next time, but this time just herbs. Cool before slicing, or it falls apart. Remove the clusters for serving, so guests can pick baked tomatoes whole. A summertime option. Rustic and good.
Ingredients
Tart Dough
- 170 ml olive oil
- 175 ml almond flour
- 85 ml all-purpose flour
- 60 ml cold water
Filling
- 140 ml whole milk
- 5 ml arrowroot powder
- 3 large eggs
- 45 ml finely chopped fresh tarragon
- 45 ml finely chopped fresh parsley
- 180 ml crumbled goat cheese
- 2 clusters cherry tomatoes on the vine (approx 350 g)
About the ingredients
Olive oil in pastry keeps it moist but less flaky than butter. Almond flour adds fat and a tender crumb but can make the dough fragile, so the small amount of AP flour is key to hold it together. Arrowroot stabilizes the filling without making it gummy. Goat cheese offers creaminess with subtle tang unlike the saltier feta, balancing roasted tomato acidity. Fresh tarragon and parsley picked finely change the green note; basil would be sweet but overwhelming. Cherry tomatoes roasted whole blister and pop with sweetness and skin texture. Use clusters on the vine for charming presentation, but ensure they’re firm and ripe. Cold water chilled keeps dough from melting. Chill dough before shaping to prevent toughness in crust. A rectangular tart pan with removable bottom makes slicing easier. Adjust baking time depending on oven.
Method
Dough Preparation
- Pulse almond flour and all-purpose flour in a food processor. Slowly drizzle olive oil and then cold water. Stop when dough clumps but not sticky. Transfer dough to floured surface, knead briefly to combine. Shape into an oblong disk 38 x 14 cm. Chill dough in refrigerator 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 190 C and position rack mid-level.
- Roll chilled dough over floured surface to roughly 38 x 14 cm. Fit into rectangular tart pan (35 x 10 cm) with removable bottom. Trim edges.
Filling Preparation
- Whisk milk with arrowroot powder until smooth. Beat in eggs thoroughly. Fold the chopped tarragon and parsley in. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Pour mixture evenly into tart shell. Crumble goat cheese over top. Arrange whole cherry tomato clusters on filling, skin-side up, pressing lightly to submerge slightly.
- Bake tart 28-30 minutes or until filling has set and crust is golden, edges browned and firm.
- Rest tart 10 minutes outside oven. Remove grape clusters carefully before serving to leave roasted cherry tomatoes intact.
Cooking tips
Pulse flour and almond flour first to combine evenly, then drizzle olive oil slowly for dough to hold together without getting greasy. Knead as little as possible just to bring shape. Roll dough on floured surface to prevent sticking but avoid overworking. Thorough whisking of eggs and milk ensures no clumps before adding arrowroot which can settle. Herbs should be very fine for an even spread and avoid large bits sinking. Pour filling carefully to avoid disturbing chilled crust. Then crumble goat cheese in small chunks for pockets of creaminess. Arrange cherry tomatoes with stem side up to keep intact, press down so they don’t roll off but remain visible. Bake until custard is set—jiggle test gently. Rest to let custard firm up but serve warm for best texture. Before serving, remove the stem clusters carefully for serving ease but retain all cherry tomatoes baked in.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Combine almond flour and all-purpose flour dry first. Pulse briefly. Drizzle olive oil slowly. Avoid greasy paste. Dough should clump gently not sticky or loose. Knead minimal on floured surface. Shape oblong disk before chilling. Chilling key to keep dough firm and prevent toughness post baking.
- 💡 Roll dough on heavily floured surface to prevent sticking. Avoid over-rolling or over-kneading dough will lose tenderness and get tough. Fit dough roughly 38 by 14 cm, trim excess for neat edges. Rectangular pan with removable base best for slicing and ease removing tart whole after baking.
- 💡 Whisk milk and arrowroot powder thoroughly first to avoid clumps. Add eggs beaten well before stirring in herbs finely chopped. Herbs must be fine for even spread and no large pieces sinking to bottom. Light salt and pepper; cheese already salty. Pour gently into crust to keep chilled dough shape intact.
- 💡 Crumbled goat cheese should be scattered in small pieces for creamy pockets. Arrange cherry tomatoes cluster with stem side up lightly pressing so they sink just below filling surface but remain visible. This prevents rolling and skin blistering but no collapse. Bake 28 to 30 minutes until golden edges and firm center. Jiggle test fine.
- 💡 Rest tart outside oven at least 10 minutes before slicing or serving. Filling firms on cooling. Remove vine clusters carefully to allow tomatoes to separate intact. Use lemon zest next time in filling for brightness but add after herb folding. Store dough tightly wrapped frozen for up to a month to save prep time.
Common questions
Can I substitute almond flour?
Possible but texture changes. Almond flour adds moisture and nutty crumb. Use only all-purpose will be firmer, less tender. Mixing gluten-free flour needs recipe adjustment, moisture. Expect differences in dough handling and final crispness.
Why arrowroot instead of cornstarch?
Arrowroot thickens without cloudiness. Maintains clear attractive custard. Cornstarch can make filling gummy or opaque. Arrowroot reacts better to eggs milk custard. Dissolve well before adding eggs to avoid lumps. Small amount enough, no starch taste.
What if crust is too fragile?
Chill dough longer. Add small extra all-purpose flour to bind. Olive oil tender but no gluten so fragile compared to butter crust. Avoid overworking dough. Handle gently and roll between flour layers. Use rectangular pan for support. Baking time can firm crust edges.
How to store leftovers?
Cover cooled tart airtight, fridge up to 2 days. Reheat gently to avoid soggy crust; oven at low temp best. Dough can be frozen raw wrapped tightly for months. Baking fresh after thaw preferred. Tomatoes soften with time, herbs fade aroma but still good for next day.
