Equipment
Ingredients
Base & Filling
- 320 g all-butter puff pastry, thawed but cold
- 150 g soft goat cheese (chevre), room temperature
- 300 g cherry tomatoes, whole
- 1 garlic, clove
- 5 g fresh thyme leaves, picked
Assembly & Garnish
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 30 ml balsamic glaze, thick reduction
- 3 g flaky sea salt
- 1 g cracked black pepper, coarse
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 614 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbohydrates
- 41 g
- Fat
- 44 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 686 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 14 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 22 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 64 mg
- Potassium
- 277 mg
- Calcium
- 85 mg
- Iron
- 3.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 32 mg
- Phosphorus
- 191 mg
- Zinc
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 163 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 13 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 22 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.39 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.45 mg
- Niacin
- 4.0 mg
- Folate
- 85 mcg
- Water
- 117 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Unroll the puff pastry onto the baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, lightly score a border about 2cm (1 inch) from the edge all the way around. Do not cut all the way through the pastry. Prick the inner rectangle all over with a fork (docking).
In a small bowl, mix the soft goat cheese, minced garlic, half of the thyme leaves, and black pepper. Stir vigorously until the mixture is spreadable.
Spread the goat cheese mixture evenly inside the scored border using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Be careful not to go over the score line onto the border.
Scatter the cherry tomatoes over the cheese layer. Drizzle the tomatoes with the olive oil. Brush the outer border of the pastry with the beaten egg wash.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. The pastry border should be puffed and deep golden brown, and the tomatoes should be blistered and soft.
Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Just before serving, drizzle generously with balsamic glaze, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and garnish with remaining fresh thyme.
Chef's Notes
- Work quickly when handling puff pastry. If the butter melts before it hits the oven heat, you lose the layers.
- For extra flavor, you can spread a thin layer of caramelized onions or tapenade under the goat cheese.
- Using multi-colored heritage tomatoes adds a stunning visual pop to this simple dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Pastry will lose crispness. Reheat in oven to revive texture.
Reheating: Reheat in a 180°C oven for 5-8 minutes until crisp. Microwave will ruin the texture.
Troubleshooting
Pastry bottom is soggy
Cause: Oven temperature too low or tomatoes released too much liquid
Fix: Cover the top loosely with foil (to prevent burning) and bake for another 5-10 minutes on the lowest oven rack.
Prevention: Ensure oven is fully preheated to 200°C; bake on the lower rack to encourage bottom heat.
Pastry edges didn't puff
Cause: Pastry was too warm before baking or oven wasn't hot enough
Prevention: Keep pastry cold until the moment it goes into the oven. Chill the assembled tart for 10 minutes before baking if your kitchen is warm.
Cultural Context
This style of tart is reminiscent of the Provençal 'tarte fine', which emphasizes thin, crisp pastry and high-quality seasonal produce. It relies on the natural affinity between goat cheese (chèvre) and tomatoes, a pairing ubiquitous in Southern French cuisine.
