Tomato Sour Cream Pesto Tart

The Tomato Sour Cream Pesto Tart is your ticket to instant summer-party glory. It’s big. It’s colorful. It serves eight lucky people—though two determined snackers could probably make it disappear. Perfect for brunch, lunch, or a dinner that earns applause.

First, we start with a buttery crust. This is not the time for fear. Mix the dough, wrap it up, and give it a 30-minute chill in the fridge. While it’s resting, feel free to rest too. Or just stare at the tomatoes you’re about to slice.

Blind Bake

The next step to this Tomato Sour Cream Pesto Tart is blind baking. Despite the name, it does not require a blindfold. Blind baking simply means baking the crust before the filling goes in, so it stays crisp instead of turning into soggy sadness. If you lack pie weights, here’s a great trick: place a springform pan on top of the parchment-covered crust. Same effect, no special equipment. The crust will stay flat and smug.

While the crust works on its tan, slice those tomatoes. Summer is when tomatoes peak—juicy, sweet, and begging to be shown off. So go wild with colors: red, yellow, green, and purple. Mix shapes and sizes. Halve some, quarter others, keep the tiny ones whole. Toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Consequently, they’ll shine like jewelry on your Tomato Sour Cream Pesto Tart.

Now, whisk sour cream, eggs, and grated pecorino romano into a creamy dream. Pour it into the slightly cooled shell. Swirl in pesto. Dig out one of those chopsticks that have been sitting around in your kitchen drawer. The ones that pile up from takeout Asian food. So grab one and make it pay rent for the space it’s been taking up in your kitchen.  Make swirly pesto art you’ll pretend was accidental.

Chiffonade

Arrange your tomatoes on top like you’re styling a magazine cover. Sprinkle chiffonaded basil—thin ribbons of basil created by rolling leaves into a cigar shape and slicing them. Add pine nuts for crunch.

Bake for 45 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and your kitchen smells like Italy called and asked you to move in. Let it cool a bit (hardest step), then slice and serve.

The Tomato Sour Cream Pesto Tart is a showstopper. It’s buttery. It’s tangy. It’s bursting with sweet tomato flavor. And it’s the kind of dish people will remember—mostly because they’ll ask for it again and again.

Summer, consider yourself won.

Print

Tomato Sour Cream Pesto Tart

Course Brunch, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Amercian, Italian

Keyword pesto tart, savory tart, Sour Cream Tart, summer recipes, Summer Savory Tarts, Tomato Tart

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Chill Time: 30 minutes

Servings 8

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 4+2/3 cups flour
• 1+ 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the filling:

• 2 cups mixed tomatoes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1/3 cup grated pecorino romano
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2+ 1/2 cups sour cream
• 3 eggs
• 3 tablespoons red pesto
• 3 tablespoons green pesto

Instructions

Make the Crust:

1. Knead all ingredients until smooth.
2. Shape into a ball and wrap in plastic cling film.
3. Chill for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F
5. Grease and flour a 12” round tart pan, preferably with a removable bottom.
6. Press the dough into and up the edges of the pan.
7. Poke several holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork.
8. Cover with baking paper and pie weights*.
9. Bake for 10 minutes.
10. Remove the pie weights and paper and let the dough cool slightly.

Make the filling:

1. Depending on their size, leave the tomatoes whole, halve them, or slice them.
2. Place in a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Chop the basil. Leave a few leaves whole for garnish.
5. Whisk together the sour cream, eggs, and cheese.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Pour into the tart base.
8. Swirl in the pesto. (I used a chopstick)
9. Arrange the tomatoes on top.
10. Scatter the basil and the pine nuts.
11. Bake the tart for about 40-45 minutes or until the filling solidifies and the crust is golden brown.
12. Garnish with the fresh basil. Cut and serve.

Recipe Notes

*If you don’t have pie weights, place an empty spring form pan on the baking paper.

So, do you like this Tomato Sour Cream Pesto Tart? Then also check out some of these other delicious recipes:

PESTO KNÖDEL IN CHEESY GARLIC CREAM SAUCE

PESTO STAR DEVILED EGGS

PINE NUT ROSEMARY CHOCOLATE CHIP BISCOTTI