Pate Brisee (Tart Dough)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, cold, cut into small cubes
• 2 tablespoons ice-cold water

Method

1. Cut the butter into small cubes and put in the freezer for 10 minutes.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt and pulse to combine.
3. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. With machine running, add ice water through feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky.
5. Test by squeezing a small amount of dough together; if it is still too crumbly, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
6. Turn out dough onto a parchment paper, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
7. The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Tomato and Feta Cheese Tart

Ingredients

• Pate Brisee, chilled in the refrigerator for at least an hour
• 1 1/4 cups feta cheese
• 35-40 cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Few sprigs of fresh thyme
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat your oven at 450 F.
2. Butter and line a 9-inch tart pan with the dough.
3. Crumble the feta cheese and lay on the bottom. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
4. Arrange the cherry tomatoes on top.
5. Decrease your oven temperature to 425 F.
6. Drizzle 1 tbsp of the olive oil on top and bake for 35-40 minutes until the edges of the tart dough are slightly browned.
7. Take the tart out of the oven, sprinkle the fresh thyme sprigs and continue baking for 10 more minutes.
8. Take the tart out of the oven, drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil on top and let stand at room temperature until serving.