Provencal Tart with Gruyere and Herbs

From Once Upon a Tart by  Frank Mentesana, Jerome Audreau, Carolyn Carreno

makes one 9-inch tart

Note: Herbes de Provence includes basil, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, summer savory and thyme. If you don’t have the mixture, mix your own and not that thyme, rosemary, majoram and bail (all dried) are the most prominent flavors you’re looking for.

12-15 plum tomatoes (or, much fewer—2 ½ lbs), cored and cut into ¼ inch thick rounds (halved cherry tomatoes would also work).

2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 par-baked 9 inch Crunchy Savory Tart Crust  (see back)

1 cup coarsely grated gruyere cheese

1 teaspoon herbes de Provence

2 large eggs

¼ cup light cream

1 teaspoon salt

A few turns of freshly ground black pepper

1. Position you oven racks so that one is in the center, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2 .put the tomato slices in a colander, and place it in the sink. Let the tomatoes sit for 15 minutes to drain off any excess liquid.

3. Spread the mustard evenly over the tart shell with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the cheese over the mustard, and sprinkle the herbs de Provence over the cheese.

4. Working from the outside in, lay the drained tomato slices in overlapping concentric circles, making sure the crust is covered entirely.

5. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl, or a large measuring cup with a spout, to break up the egg yolks. Whisk in the cream, salt and pepper. This is your custard. Pour the custard evenly over the tomatoes until it comes to about ¼ inch from the top of the crust. (if you have extra, don’t worry about it; if you don’t have enough, pour a little cream on top.)

6. Place the tart on the center rack in the oven, and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the custard is set. Set custard won’t jiggle when you shake the pan and will be firm when you touch it. (The custard will also be hot, so touch it lightly.) The tomatoes in this tart may give off a lot of liquid. Don’t confuse this with uncooked eggs, and accidentally overcook your tart. The liquid will evaporate as the tart cools.

7. Remove the tart from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Allow the tart to cool slightly.

8. To remove the tart from the pan, rest it on a big can. Make sure the tart is steady and balanced. Slide the outside ring of the pan down off the tart. Then place the tart on your work surface and slide it off the bottom of the pan and onto a rimless surface dish or a cutting board. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Kayte’s note: try this basic method with other vegetables.
The crust and the custard would work nicely with a variety of veggies cheeses and herbs and spices.