Fresh Tomato Tart with Gorgonzola Cheese

As I have mentioned in my 'Silent Sunday' post, I made this beautiful rustic Tomato Tart...normally, I would have used a milder cheese, like Goat Cheese or a mild Cheddar Cheese but I had a block of sweet Gorgonzola cheese, imported from Italy that worked wonders to balance out the flavors with just a small amount of chopped parsley
and the perfectly ripe tomato slices

I may not make cupcakes...especially with 'fancy-schmancy' frosting and decorations; although I think they are gorgeous...and that reminds me of my dear sweet friend Joanna from
Chic& Gorgeous Treats...(whom I had the pleasure of meeting in person last year, in S. Francisco) she is every bit beautiful, sweet, bubbly and friendly in person...  as she is on her blog! Check out her most amazing blog that will put a smile on your face and will want to make, or wish you would/could make some of her creative desserts, cupcakes, and mini tarts.

At least Jo's tarts and cupcakes have natural fruit and fresh cream toppings, but some bloggers make cream frosting for cupcakes which are oh, so pretty and decorative, but the first thing a child would do is to lick off the extreme sugary and brightly tinted cream!
 

Just to give you an example, last week my little grandson Luca was crying at his kindergarten class at lunchtime because every child was enjoying their cupcake topped with a fancy blue frosting, and he had to tell his teacher he's not supposed to eat the cupcake. (he previously got sick from the colored butter cream before)

My daughter had to go to school to console him because he just kept saying "I'm not supposed to eat this"...the poor child is so allergic to so many buttery and synthetic products, that he already knows at such a young age what not to indulge in...even though he would like it, but his little tummy would not tolerate it!




So, let's get started on this recipe! The tart recipe is from Lora @ Cake Duchess from one of the Julia Child's baking challenge with Dorie...another challenge that I'm not following...but maybe, one of these days...soon:)

Torta Salata-Mixed Vegetable Galette

made in a 9 inch round removable bottom tart pan

Galette Dough...(I used it for my Tart Dough)

From Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan
serves about 4 people

1 c.  all-purpose flour
1/4 c. cornmeal (I used plain cornmeal)
7 Tb. cold butter
1/3 c. ice water
3 Tb. sour cream




Galette Dough
 
Stir flour and cornmeal together.  Cut in butter with your fingertips until butter is in pea-sized lumps.  Stir ice water and sour cream together in a small bowl, then add to flour mixture.  Mix together with a fork until mixture holds together and form into a ball.  Put ball on a piece of plastic wrap, loosely gather plastic wrap around it and twist, then press dough into a disc. Refrigerate for one hour before rolling out.  Roll out on a floured surface till dough is about 1/8″ thick.  Fold into quarters and transfer to baking sheet.  Unfold and fill. You could also make the dough by pulsing in a food processor.

Remove the dough. Squish the ball down flat and wrap it in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. and proceed to make filling.

For the filling:

2 large tomatoes sliced (not too thin, or thick)

8 oz. piece of Gorgonzola cheese, or a cheese of your choice that melts...you can use goat cheese, Swiss cheese, white cheddar, or just use the custard filling.
a handful of fresh chopped parsley

1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 large eggs, slightly beaten with fork
1 shallot chopped, and sauteed in 1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a shallow bowl, add 2 Tbsp olive oil, and dip the tomato slices in them. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the 2 beaten eggs to a medium bowl, add the cream, and finally the sauteed shallots. Stir the chopped parsley into the cream and egg mixture.

Do not add the tomato slices until the last 10 minutes of baking time...very important!


Now, you're ready to bake the tart in the preheated oven, for about 25-30 minutes...just keep checking to make sure you don't over bake the tart with the filling.

During the last 10 to 15 minutes, take the tomato slices out of the oil, and pull out the tart from the oven, to place the tomatoes decoratively over the top, and finish baking the tart.

Note:
Now, do you see what I mean? This gorgeous tomato tart is right out of the oven, the tomato slices stayed juicy, and just the right softness, thanks to dipping them into the olive oil first, and only baking them on top of the crust for the last 10-15 minutes...any longer than that, will shrivel up your tomato slices; especially if you don't dip them into the olive oil!

Enjoy a nice slice of this super delicious savory rustic Fresh Tomato Tart...guaranteed success!







The filling is absolutely divine, with the custard mixture and the perfect cheese melted, and baked to a delicate golden color!

 ...and last but not least, Do include your children, or grandchildren whenever possible to join in the fun with the dough. They do have a pretty good idea of what they want to make!

As you can see what I was talking about...check out my little grandson's delicate skin and complexion...he has a lot of allergies to foods, and mostly sugary things (such as colored butter creams)...no wonder he is safer eating and enjoying savory, or even sweet fresh tarts, and homemade cakes that his mom makes just about every day, and the entire family stays 'thin'...because they eat healthy and delicious fresh, and organic vegetables...and oh, yes, pasta just about every day!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone, and enjoy you fall weather...a great change. As for us, rain, rain, ...and more rain, along with some sunshine...a nice 77 degrees F. as of right now! Hugs to you, from South Florida! xo

#BundtaMonth-Banana Zucchini Bundt Cake

I’ve loved baking Bundt cakes since my kids were little. Baking a Bundt is homey and comforting. There’s something about a round Bundt with the glaze drizzled down the side that is irresistible. Perfect for coffee or tea time with friends or to bring to a party.




It’s lovely that Lora (Cake Duchess)and Anuradha (Baker Street) collaborated to form a monthly baking group dedicated just to Beautiful Bundts: Bundt a Month!

What is #BundtaMonth all about?


Here’s the challenge:
 
Anuradha and Lora will pick an ingredient and announce it the first week of every month. All you Bundt loving bakers need to do is use your imagination on how you’d like to incorporate it and bake a Bundt – mini Bundt or large Bundt – and link it up to their blogs throughout the month. It's that simple! 
We decided to be creative with zucchini in our September Bundts.

Check out what our Bundt loving baking friends created for this month:


Anuradha from Baker Street baked Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake

Deb from Knitsmatic baked Healthy Wanna-Be Bundt Cake

Kate from Food Babbles baked Chocolate Coconut Zucchini Bundt Cake

Kate from Diet Hood baked Zucchini Banana Bundt Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Renee from Magnolia Days baked  Zucchini Spice Bundt Cake

And Lora from Cake Duchess baked Chocolate Zucchini Swirl Bundt Cake

Here's how to bake with #BundtaMonth:

- Bake your September #BundtaMonth Zucchini Bundt.
- Post it before September 30, 2012.
- Use the #BundtaMonth hashtag in your title. (For ex: title should read - #BundtaMonth: Chocolate Zucchini Bundt)
- Join the Bundt baking party! Share your link it to our blog hop by clicking here or here.
- Link back to both Anuradha’s and Lora’s announcement posts.










Mixing zucchini, banana and spices make a wonderful September Bundt cake.



Banana Zucchini Bundt Cake
yield: one cake-serves 12 – 16
adapted from Martha Stewart and Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. salt
2/3  cup canola oil
1 cup granulated sugar
2 whole eggs, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 ½ cups mashed overripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
1 ½ cups grated zucchini, drained on towel (about 1 large zucchini)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a Bundt pan, set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, mix together the oil and sugar until combined (about 2 minutes). Beat in the eggs one at a time until light and fluffy (about another 3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla and scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate all the ingredients.

With the mixer on low, mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture until fully incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Stir in ½ cup of the sour cream and mix again until combined. Alternate with the remaining flour mixture and sour cream, ending with dry ingredients. Stir in bananas and zucchini until combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. *I check my cakes at 30 minutes and with this cake, I lowered the heat to 325 for the remaining baking time.

Lemon Glaze:
juice of 1 lemon
1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Juice lemon and whisk in the powdered sugar a little bit at a time until right consistency (I test it on my finger.If it doesn’t run down my finger, it’s ready). Remove cake from oven and allow to cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes before turning out onto rack and cooling completely. Drizzle glaze over cooled Bundt cake.

Have fun baking your Bundt!

...also linking to:Hearth and Soul Blog, @Zesty South Indian Kitchen