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Hi Bold Bakers!
What do you get when you combine buttery flaky puff pastry and my favorite Caprese salad? My Caprese Savory Tart!
Somewhere between the idea for my savory breakfast tart and a Caprese salad, this recipe was born. My show-stopping Caprese Savory Tart features a puff pastry crust topped with fresh and fragrant basil pesto, thick slices of melty mozzarella cheese, and sweet roasted tomatoes. The flavors of this lovely tart are classic but served up in a whole new hand-held way.
More elegant than a pizza but way more fun than a salad, this Caprese Savory Tart is my new go-to!
What is Puff Pastry?
Puff pastry is one of my favorite kitchen staples. It can be the base of so many sweet and savory dishes, and it’s one of the easiest pastry doughs to work with as it takes any shape you give it very easily. In this case, I am using a previously frozen, then defrosted, puff pastry. You can get this at almost any grocery store, usually in the freezer section or with other refrigerated pie doughs.
[ Take a look at my Homemade Rough Puff Pastry Recipe too! ]
To make the Caprese Savory Tart crust, I start by blind baking my puff pastry tart base. This means briefly baking the tart to a golden brown. The purpose of this is to ensure that the crust is cooked through. Since the roasted tomatoes, cheese, and basil pesto really can all be eaten raw, they are layered onto the tart then heated quickly. Blind baking means both the tart crust and the filling are neither over-baked, no under-baked — they are cooked to perfection
How to roast tomatoes for the savory tart
Making this tart is really just a matter of assembly, but the first step to making this tart is to roast the tomatoes. “Do I have to roast the tomatoes?” you might ask. Well, this is a really important step in creating the right texture to your tart.
If you just sliced raw tomatoes and layered them out, they would leak juice leaving you with a soggy mess. By pre-roasting the tomatoes the flavor is concentrated, and the tomatoes are broken down but still juicy. This ultimately adds a layer of flavor to the tart that raw tomatoes just don’t have. To roast my tomatoes I like to season them well and lightly drizzle with olive oil. After roasting at a high temperature, they are halfway to a sun-dried-tomato-taste. Juicy, yet crisp around the edges — this is exactly what you want to layer onto my Caprese Savory Tart.
Can you Make a Vegan Caprese Tart?
If you are unable to eat dairy or animal products, no fear, this tart can be made 100% vegan by substituting traditional mozzarella for a vegan cheese. As the rest of the ingredients are plant-based, this will make the tart completely vegan.
Like Savory? Here are some more options!
Try These Recipes!
Caprese Savory Tart
Ingredients
Roasted Tomatoes:
- 8 tomatoes, sliced 1 cm thick
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Tart:
- 1 sheet frozen and defrosted puff pastry
- 2 cups (16oz/454g) buffalo mozzarella, sliced 1 cm thick
- 1/4 cup (2 ½ oz/71g) pesto
- 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
- Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Roasted Tomatoes:
- Preheat your oven to 425°F ( 220°C). Place the sliced tomatoes on a large baking tray, then drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast for 30 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and caramelized around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool while preparing the tart's crust.
Tart Crust:
- Turn the oven down to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Place the puff pastry sheet on the lined tray. Using a small thin knife score the edges of the pastry, creating a 1/2 inch border around all 4 edges of the tart. This will create the crust of the tart when baking.
- Bake the crust as is for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned and slightly puffed.
To Assemble The Tart
- Spread the pesto all across the base of the pre-baked tart.
- Layer on the roasted tomatoes and mozzarella slices. Once the whole tart has been topped brush the outer edged of the tart with egg wash.
- Place the assembled tart back in the oven and allow to bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp and the cheese has melted.
- Allow to cool slightly then garnish with fresh basil. Cut into 12 squares and serve.
- Cover and store the tart in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, toast in the oven or warm in the microwave.
i wish i knew what it meant to “score the edges of the pastry” so I came back to see if there was a video, in the middle of making it. Tomatoes smell and look delicious so far!
I made the capers savory tart yesterday. Everyone loved it. Many asked for the recipe, I even posted on Facebook, thanking you. Your tip about roasting the tomatoes was terrific. Thank you. I will try to post the pictures here.
Can’t wait to try it! One question, though: is buffalo mozzarella basically fresh mozzarella? Not sure where I’d get buffalo mozzarella.
My family has planted tomatoes, I love them because it’s good for health. Thanks for your recipe <3
Hi Gemma,
This recipe seems amazing! I can’t wait to try it.
While I love your dessert recipes, can you please put up more savory recipes for us to try?