Unheralded

LILLIAN CROOK: WildDakotaWoman — My Tomato Herb Phyllo Tart

I love to cook and I love to share food with family and friends. I’ve been cooking on my own for a crowd since I was 10 years old. The other night, I made this dish, which makes my husband very happy. Many friends requested the recipe. Here it is, a first for WildDakotaWoman.

Tomato and Herb Phyllo Tart
7 sheets phyllo pastry, thawed
½ cup melted Irish butter
1 cup grated Parmesana Reggiano (don’t use the cheap Parmesan)
1½ cups grated mozzarella cheese (again, higher-quality cheese, more flavorful results)
1 large head of garlic, chopped
4 to 5 large tomatoes, sliced
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon grated fresh pepper
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon  fresh chopped rosemary
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place tomato slices on paper towels and pat dry. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a large cookie sheet and then lightly coat with non-stick cooking spray. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on the cookie sheet. Brush with melted butter, then sprinkle with a tablespoon or so of Parmesan. Don’t worry about full coverage as this will be taken care of with multiple sheets. Place another sheet over this and press down firmly. Repeat until all sheets are used and all butter and Parmesan is used. Sprinkle the top with mozzarella. Place the tomatoes on top in straight lines so square can be cut after baking. Place the chopped garlic on next, then sprinkle on the salt, pepper and other spices. Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden and the bottom cooked. If needed, broil for a minute or two at the end to carefully brown the top. Cut into squares and decorate with fresh rosemary sprigs when serving.
Note: all spices are Penzeys or freshly grown — I have a rosemary plant I keep indoors over the winter.

Bon appetit!





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