TOMATO AND GRUYERE TART

To make the tart crust, mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.

Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly and resembles coarse meal.

Beat the egg, vinegar, and 6 tablespoons of the water together in a separate bowl.

Using a fork, add the egg mixture to your flour and mix until it forms a loose dough, adding 1 or 2 additional tablespoons of water as needed.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured countertop and gently fold and press together with your hands until it forms a solid mass.  You should still see pieces of butter throughout the dough – do not overwork it. Divide the dough in half, and gently press together to form into 2 discs, about 5-6” in diameter.  Wrap each disc in saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour over overnight.  You only need one of the discs for this recipe so can refrigerate or freeze the other for future use.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the dough from the fridge and roll into a rectangle approx. 12” x 16” (or a similar size to match the side of your baking sheet).  Place the dough on your baking sheet and fold in any excess dough so that your crust evenly covers the bottom of the pan.  Prick all over with a fork and then top with another baking sheet the same size (or with a sheet of tinfoil covered with pie weights or dry beans) to keep the crust from puffing up.  Bake for 10 minutes and remove the top baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown.  Let cool.

To make the basil marinade, combine the basil, garlic, salt, and black pepper in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until chopped.  Then, with the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin stream until a loose paste forms. Combine this sauce with the sliced tomatoes in a large bowl and toss to combine.

Spread 3 ½ cups of the gruyere cheese over the crust and top with the tomatoes, overlapping in even layers.  Top with remaining ½ cup gruyere and 2 tablespoons of the parmesan.  Drizzle any remaining marinade over the top.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.  Let cool for 10 minutes.  Garnish with remaining tablespoon of parmesan and fresh basil leaves (torn if large).  Cut into slices and DEVOUR!!