Caramelized Onion & Tomato Tart

If you grow tomatoes your garden and kitchen are overflowing with them right now, like mine! I wanted to do something different to enjoy their rich, savory flavor. The old standby of salads, sauces, and sandwiches just weren't cutting it. This was my first time baking a tomato tart and it was a success. While I was taking this picture of the first slice:
this happened: the disappearing tart!

The tart sort of tasted like pizza; only better! It was incredibly juicy, the tomatoes were still a little firm with hints of garlic, rosemary, basil and the sweet onions. It had just the right amount of cheese so that the tomatoes were the main attraction. The rice flour crust was buttery and complimented the tart perfectly. I wish I had made two!

I think the secret in keeping the tomatoes from being mushy is to deseed them first, before slicing. I cut the tops off the tomatoes and used a teeny 1/8 teaspoon to get all the mushy seeds out without damaging the tomato. This tart is gluten-free as long as you make sure the rice flour you are using is gluten-free like Bob's Red Mill.



Caramelized Onion and Tomato Tart
by Reeni

2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons Olive oil, divided
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon diced fresh basil or 1 and ½ teaspoons dried
1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary or 1 and ½ teaspoons dried
Rice flour crust (recipe to follow)
4 oz. Swiss Cheese, shredded
5-6 large tomatoes, deseeded and sliced ¼ inch thick
Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a heavy skillet over medium heat add two tablespoons of the Olive oil and the sliced onions. Stir to distribute oil throughout the onions. Cook onions for about 15 minutes then add in the minced garlic, basil and rosemary, cook for five more minutes until onions are soft and light brown. Once the onions start to brown you can turn the heat down to low.
2. Add the onions to the rice crust first and spread evenly. Sprinkle with about 1/3 of the Swiss Cheese.
3. Layer the tomatoes starting at the outside, overlapping the edges in a circle until you reach the center. Stack them in the center.
4. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with one tablespoon of the Olive Oil
5. Sprinkle with remaining Swiss Cheese evenly over the top. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of Olive Oil.
6. Bake for 55 minutes on 400 degrees. Best eaten warm or at room temperature. Let sit for twenty minutes before slicing.

Rice Flour Pie Crust
(adapted from Bob’s Red Mill)

3/4 cup White Rice Flour
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 Tb Sugar
1 pinch Sea Salt
1 large Egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup Melted Butter or Margarine (do not use diet or light)

1. Preheat oven to 420 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl beat egg and butter or margarine.
3. In another bowl sift the rice flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
4.Add to egg mixture. Stir; the crust will be soft.
5. Butter the tart pan. Press mixture into tart pan to cover bottom and sides.
6. Bake at 420 degrees for 20 minutes.



Moon enjoying my fresh picked herbs:


This is my entry for Andrea's Grow Your Own the "twice-a-month blogging event that celebrates the foods we grow or raise ourselves and the dishes we make using our homegrown products." Andrea is celebrating the one-year anniversary of her event this time around. Congratulations to Andrea and have another great year!