THIS LOOKS AS BEAUTIFUL AS IT TASTES!

I recently made this for my daughter Randi and her husband, Dan.  It was the second time I made it for them.  Randi informed me that Dan decided this currently is his favorite dish that I make.  This tomato tart is wonderful for a light summer supper .  I like to serve it with salad and corn on the cob.

• 1 frozen, unbaked pie shell (I use Oronique deep dish, if I can find it)
• 5 tablespoons olive oil (I prefer light)
• 6 medium beefsteak tomatoes or large Roma tomatoes, cut into chunks (Cut each tomato into about  fourths)  
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
• 1 1/2 cups of grated mozzarella cheese (If you like you can use 1 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of goat cheese)
• 2 large or extra large eggs
• 1/3 cup whipping cream
• 1-2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Prick frozen, unbaked pie shell on sides and bottom.  Bake for about 7 minutes.  Set aside.

Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees.  Line half sheet pan with foil. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of oil on pan.  Place tomato pieces cut side up on baking sheet.  Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt, then some freshly ground pepper, the slivered garlic, and 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves.  Drizzle the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil over the tomatoes.  Toss to coat with the oil.  Bake about 1 hour until the tomatoes begin to shrink, look slightly dried, but still are soft. (If you have the time, you can do this at 300 degrees, but it will take about 2 hours.)  Set aside.

While tomatoes are roasting, prepare filling.  In a medium bowl, mix the cheese, the remaining 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, a little salt, some freshly ground pepper, the 2 eggs, and the cream.  Stir until well blended.  Spread cheese filling into prepared crust.  Arrange roasted tomatoes over filling.  Sprinkle Parmesan or Romano cheese over top.  Bake until filling is puffed and set, about 35-40 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes.  Serve.

Optional:  You can add about 1/3 cup oil cured, pitted black olives and place them between the tomatoes before you bake the tart.  (It’s nice for a change, but I actually like the taste of the tart better using only tomatoes, especially in the summer when the tomatoes are so beautiful.)

This Frittata Is As Good As Quiche But Easier To Make And Healthier Too!

My mother and I were invited over to our friend Sherill Kobb’s house yesterday for lunch.  Sherill is an amazing cook and baker, and a wonderful person.  So between just spending time with Sherill and eating her amazing food, I was in seventh heaven.  It was such a treat for me to enjoy someone else’s cooking for a change.  I felt like a princess, because Sherill is such a gracious hostess, and she really makes her guests feel special.  Well, Sherill prepared a delicious feast which was as appealing aesthetically as it was gastronomically.  She started with French onion soup that was incredible, then she served this vegetable frittata along with a beautiful salad with goat cheese and her homemade mustard and white wine vinaigrette, and then she served a delicious apple cake and coffee for dessert.  What a treat!  

• 5 extra large or jumbo eggs
• 3 egg whites
• 1 heavy tablespoon of sour cream (adds richness and tanginess, but you don’t have to use it)
• 1 large red bell pepper
• about 8 spears of fresh asparagus
• about 4 green onions or scallions, yellow and white part
• about 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley (parsley adds a fresh clean taste to the frittata)
• about 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
• kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper
• about 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon of light olive oil  or other vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus.  Then cut the asparagus into bite size pieces, about 1-1 1/2 inches long. Blanch the asparagus in boiling water until crisp-tender about 2-5 minutes depending upon the thickness of the asparagus.  Drain the asparagus and then run under cold water to stop the cooking.

Dice the red pepper into about 1/2 inch pieces.  Chop the scallions on the diagonal into pieces about 1/2 inch in length.  Melt the butter with the oil in a non-stick saute pan that measures approximately 8 inches across the bottom and 10 inches across the top of the pan.  Make sure you swirl the butter and oil around so the sides of the pan get coated as well.  Then saute the red pepper and scallions (season with a little salt and pepper) for about 3 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.  Turn heat off and take off stove, and set aside. 

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the whole eggs and the egg whites.  Add a pinch of the kosher salt and about 6 turns of freshly ground black pepper.  Add the tablespoon of sour cream if you are using it and whisk. (You will still see the sour cream in the eggs, and that is ok.)  Set aside.

Add the parsley and the asparagus to the sauteed red pepper and scallions in the pan.  Mix together gently.  Place back on the stove over a medium flame.  Pour the eggs into the pan.  Then sprinkle the grated Parmesan or Romano cheese on top.  As the eggs begin to cook along the outer edge, lift up the cooked part so that the raw eggs can slide under.  Do this until the eggs are pretty cooked around the edges but still uncooked on top.  Slide the pan into the preheated oven and cook for about another 5 minutes or until eggs are no longer raw looking on top and the eggs are just set.  Frittata should be a little browned and puffy around the edges.  If you like your eggs more well done and browned on top, put your oven on broil, and cook for maybe one-two minutes at most, watching very carefully.  When you take the frittata out of the oven, it will continue to cook, so be careful not to overcook this.   

Loosen the edges of the frittata with a spatula, and then slide it onto a  10 inch round serving plate.  If you don’t have a big enough serving platter, then bring the frittata to the table in the saute pan, slice it, and serve it right out of the pan. 

Note:  You may use any combination of vegetables that that you like.  You might use sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, or spinach to name a few.  You may also substitute grated cheddar, swiss, or gruyere cheese for the Parmesan or Romano, but the fresh Parmesan or Romano gives the frittata a great tangy flavor without adding too many calories!