750 g Firm ripe tomatoes
250 g Frozen puff pastry; thawed
125 g Gruyere cheese
25 g Butter
4 tb Double cream
2 Free range eggs
Salt and pepper
1 Handful torn fresh basil
-leaves
Put the tomatoes in a bowl, cover with boiling water for about 30 seconds
then plunge into cold water. Peel off the skins then cut into quarters.
Hold the quarters over a colander and squeeze gently to remove excess
liquid. Chop the flesh and leave to drain in the colander for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/gas 7. Preheat a heavy baking tray. On a
lightly floured surface, thinly roll out the pastry and use to line a
23-25cm fluted tart tin fitted with a removable base. Grate the cheese and
sprinkle 25g of cheese over the pastry base.
Put the butter in a bowl and beat until soft then work the remaining cheese
and cream into the butter to form a fluffy paste. Beat the eggs then beat
into the mixture. Season lightly with salt and pepper and add the basil.
Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and spread evenly over the pastry
case. Spoon the egg and cheese mixture over the tomatoes.
Yields
4 servings