Heirloom Tomato and Mozzarella Tart

This heirloom tomato and mozzarella tart is so easy to make even the kids can help out. It looks gorgeous, tastes even better and is a no fuss recipe.

I took the little ladies to this little farm place the other day and we were talking about all of the different animals and how we get wool from sheep, eggs from chickens and so on. When we finally arrived at the cows I asked Little C, “What do we get from cows?” and she couldn’t think of anything. I went ahead and changed the question to, “Where does milk come from?”. Nope, still no answer. Clearly it was time we go back to dairy and touch on a few things. The kiddos have started really liking tomatoes so I made us a fancy heirloom tomato and mozzarella tart to devour while we talked about dairy. All with a little help from my partnership with the Dairy Council.

On the website there’s a link to the cow locale which has a bunch of real life farmers that I could show the girls while we ate. First, let me say this, the girls aren’t perfect eaters and especially not the little one, but they are getting better because we try to let them learn about what they are eating as well as help prepare it. Cade and I loooooved this tart. They looooved the puff pastry and picked at the rest. It’s a start and that’s all I care about when introducing them to new things. Anyway, we were able to look at pictures and talk about the people that work really hard to give us the milk/food we eat and drink.

The girls weren’t overly impressed with the fact that these good people are working harder than most of us and get slaughtered for it in the media and by those who have forgotten that we all come from farmer families in one way or another. It’s how people ate. So we pretty much left that for another day. I’m dying to get them out to a bunch of different farms and let them experience it first hand. Cade and I want the girlies to know their heritage, that they come from families that worked hard to provide food all year round for themselves, that people today are still hoping, working and praying that their crops, cattle etc will provide a living for themselves and good food for others.

How do you teach your children about food and where it comes from?

What Are Heirloom Tomatoes?

An heirloom is generally considered to be a variety that has been passed down, through several generations of a family because of it’s valued characteristics.

Heirloom tomatoes are varieties that were introduced before 1940, or tomato varieties more than 50 years in circulation.

Family Heirlooms are seeds that have been passed down for several generations through a family.

Are Heirloom Tomatoes Better?

Heirloom tomatoes offer an intense flavor that put them in a class of their own.

Many gardeners agree that most heirloom varieties boast greater flavor than that found in hybrids.

But, they usually have a shorter shelf life and less disease resistance than hybrids bred to resist against specific diseases.

What Are Mozzarella Balls Marinated In?

Mozzarella balls are marinated in olive oil, fresh herbs,lemon juice, and salt.

Heirloom Tomato and Mozzarella Tart

Yield: 2 sliced in 8 pieces

Heirloom Tomato and Mozzarella Tart

Total Time: 20 mins

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

This heirloom tomato and mozzarella tart is so easy to make even the kids can help out. It looks gorgeous, tastes even better and is a no fuss recipe.

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 package frozen puff pastry dough, defrosted and rolled out, then cut in 2.
• Heirloom tomatoes, minis from Coscto work great
• Marinated Mozzarella, found in a tub at Costco
• 1 Cup Balsamic Vinegar

Directions:

1. In a small sauce pan over medium high heat cook the balsamic vinegar until reduced by 1/2, about 3-5 minutes, remove from the heat and allow to thicken.
2. Heat the oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Using a sharp knife, carefully slice (not going all the way through the dough!) a border about 1/4-1/2″ around the dough.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden.
5. Remove from the oven and lightly press down the middle to make it flat and even.
6. Sprinkle with a little of the olive oil marinade from the mozzarella, mozzarella, chopped tomatoes, and drizzle with reduced balsamic vinegar.

Enjoy

All images and text ©Carrian Cheney for Oh Sweet Basil.

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