Tomato Ricotta Tart

Summer tomatoes

Aren’t summer tomatoes just the most amazing things, like maybe ever!

Ok, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but I do believe that tomatoes, especially heirloom tomatoes are just divine!

So, I created a tart to show them off.

What’s Ombre mean?

Merriam-Webster defines ombre as “having colors or tones that shade into each other —used especially of fabrics in which the color is graduated from light to dark”. The word ombre means shaded in French.

If you use Photoshop, you may refer to this same color variation as gradient.

Ombre seems to have hit its high point in popularity in 2008. Though I had trouble tracing any concrete information on why it became so popular then. I’m sure that Pinterest had something to do with its rise in notability.

What’s an heirloom tomato?

An heirloom tomato (also called heritage tomato in the UK) is generally considered to be a variety of plant or seed that has been passed down through several generations because of its valued characteristics. It’s also considered to be an open-pollinated (non-hybrid) type of tomato.

The term “Heirloom” as applied to plants was first used by Kent Whealy of Seed Savers Exchange, who first used it in relation to plants in a speech he gave in Tucson in 1981.

Since the word heirloom has become popular in the past few years there have been liberties taken with the use of this term.

I typically see tomatoes being labeled as heirloom tomatoes as the ones that are really pretty colors, and often very funky shapes. They are also super delicious. Like summer itself.

But they cost so much

Heirloom tomatoes are typically more expensive than their traditional store-bought counter parts because they are not mass-produced, are not disease resistant, their vines produce fewer per acre than hybrid varieties, and they do not travel well.

All of these factors increase the prices on heirlooms.

However, I have found them on sale during the summer months, making them almost the same prices as their hybrid cousins. And, to me, their flavor is so much better, that they are worth the extra expense.

Check out your local farmer’s market as well, as they may have them available for a good price during the summer.

can I use other tomatoes?

Absolutely, you can use other tomatoes. Home grown tomatoes of any kind would be my first pick.

Cheery tomatoes either cut in half, left whole, or even roasted separately would be fun in this cherry tomato pie.

Tart Recipe notes

This tart is amazing even without the tomatoes.

So, if you want to make a simple cheese and basil tart, it will make a great appetizer or light lunch.

As for this impressive looking and delicious Tomato Cheese Tart, serve this at a party or a nice brunch, and your guests will be wowed, not only by how pretty it is, but by how delicious this easy to make vegetarian tart really is.

I created this recipe based off of my French Onion Tart Recipe.

Other savory appetizers

I love serving easy and delicious tarts and pinwheels at parties and get togethers.

These are also great for game day snacks! Be sure to try my Pizza Tarts, Pepper Jelly Pinwheels, and Pesto Puff Pastry Pinwheels. You’ll be the MVP of the day when you bring these noshes!