Heirloom Tomato Crostata with Honey-Thyme Glaze

This crostata was worth every bit of effort. The crust was perfectly flaky. The sweetness of the tomatoes was enhanced by the honey-thyme-vinegar glaze. The garlic oil, gruyere, and thyme added layers of wonderful flavor. Delicious!

I made this pretty crostata to share with some special girlfriends whom I don’t get to see nearly often enough. We enjoyed a lovely lunch while all of our kids played together. One friend brought a yummy caesar salad to serve on the side. Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes from What Jessica Baked Next for dessert. It was a great time for all. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I used a combination of my CSA and colorful heirloom tomatoes, used gruyere instead of cheddar, and reduced the baking time for a convection oven.

I am sharing this special dish with my friends at Fiesta Friday #84 this week hosted by Steffi @ Ginger and Bread and Effie @ Food Daydreaming. Enjoy!!

Yield: 6 servings

For the Crust:

• 125 grams all-purpose flour (about 1 cup), more for rolling out dough
• 75 grams fine cornmeal (about 1/2 cup)
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons), cut into small cubes
• 35 grams grated Gruyere or extra-sharp Cheddar (about 1/2 cup)

For the Filling:

• 1 ½ pounds different-colored tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick (or halved if cherry or grape tomatoes), preferably heirloom
• 1 teaspoon kosher sea salt, plus a pinch
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ bunch fresh thyme sprigs, plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 65 grams Gruyere or extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 cup)
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 large egg
• flaky sea salt, like Maldon

To Make the Crust:

1. In a food processor, briefly pulse together flour, cornmeal and salt.
2. Add butter and cheese and pulse until mixture forms chickpea-size pieces (3 to 5 one-second pulses).
3. Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 6 tablespoons, pulsing occasionally until mixture is just moist enough to hold together.
4. Form dough into a ball, wrap with plastic and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. (I refrigerated it overnight.)

To Make the Filling:

1. Meanwhile, line a rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels. Spread out tomato slices in a single layer. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and let sit for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, combine vinegar, honey and thyme sprigs and bring to a simmer; let simmer 2 minutes, then transfer to a bowl.
3. Wipe out skillet, then add olive oil and garlic. Cook garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, or until garlic is golden and caramelized.
4. Remove garlic and finely chop. Reserve garlic oil.

To Finish the Crostata:

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly flour a work surface and rolling pin. (*Alternatively, roll out the dough onto a piece of parchment paper large enough to line a rimmed baking sheet.*) Gently roll out dough to a 1/4-inch thickness, dusting with flour if dough is sticking. Transfer dough to baking sheet and return to fridge for another 20 minutes. (longer than 20 minutes is okay)
2. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Pat tomatoes dry with paper towels. Brush tomatoes with honey mixture.
3. Leaving a 3-inch border, distribute the garlic, then the cheese, followed by half the chopped thyme leaves on center of crust.
4. Add black pepper to taste, then layer tomatoes in an overlapping pattern, maintaining the 3-inch border.
5. Drizzle garlic oil over tomatoes, sprinkle with remaining thyme leaves.
6. Gently fold crust up around tomatoes, making a 2-inch border.
7. In a small bowl, whisk egg and 1 teaspoon water. Using a pastry brush, brush egg wash over crust and sprinkle top of crostata with flaky salt.
8. Bake for about 25 minutes on convection, or up to 35 minutes in a standard oven, until pastry is deeply golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

One Year Ago:

• Grilled Bread & Marinated Tomato Salad with Arugula

Two Years Ago:

• Soba Noodle Salad with Pesto & Grilled Eggplant

Three Years Ago:

• Cherry Tomato Tart with Basil

About Josette@thebrookcook

I live in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. I love garlic and baking. My hobby (and love) is to try new recipes. My favorite recipe resources include The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy!

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