ChezCindy: Rustic Cherry Tomato Crostata

 

Gorgeous cherry tomatoes are just starting to show in abundance at my local farmer's market.  Mixed colors or all red always tempt me to purchase more than I can eat with salads.  Thus, the creation of this rustic Italian crostata.  

If you have homemade pie dough in the freezer, the crostata can be ready in under an hour.  For a foolproof pie dough recipe, click here.  I often make 2 or 3 batches of this recipe, wrapping each disk in plastic and placed in a zipper freezer bag.  Great to have on hand when the mood strikes for a pie, galette, or crostata.  

Fresh Cherry Tomato Crostata

Pie dough for 1 crust, homemade or storebought 
2 cups fresh cherry tomatoes cut in half
4 ounces chevre goat cheese log, room temperature
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
3 tablespoons heavy cream  
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
fresh basil leaves for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.  

Place the cut tomatoes into a medium bowl, sprinkling 1 teaspoon of salt over the tomatoes, stirring to combine.  Set aside.  

Roll out the pie dough to a 12-inch circle.  Transfer the dough to the prepared sheet pan.  Set aside.

Place the room temperature goat cheese into a medium bowl.  Add the chopped rosemary, heavy cream and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, mixing together until the mixture is smooth and creamy.  Using a spoon, transfer large dollops of the cheese to the prepared pie dough, spreading the dollops to cover the center of the dough leaving a 2-inch border around the edges.  Scatter the shredded provolone over the goat cheese, maintaining the 2-inch border.

Transfer the salted tomatoes to a strainer to drain out any excess liquid.  Place the drained tomatoes to cover the goat cheese, leaving the border intact.  Fold over the edges of the dough so that edges encase the filling slightly, pleating as needed.  Brush the folded edges with the beaten egg.  Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil. 

Bake the crostata on the bottom rack of the oven for 25-30 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the tomatoes have slumped and softened.  Remove from the oven, gently sprinkle the finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano over the tomatoes.  Serve hot or warm with fresh basil.