Tomato Tart

Tomatoes are my favorite food. When I discovered this recipe, I had to apologize to my grandmother. My whole life, I have baked only my grandmother's pie crust. But, adding an egg yolk really changes the consistancy. This recipe is a savory Provencal tart that I found in the New York Times (9.3.03). Prep and Cook time do not include 30 Chill time.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4-8
• Yields: 1 tart

Ingredients

• 2  cups flour, more for dusting
• 1  egg yolk
•  salt and pepper
• 1⁄2 cup butter, at room temperature
•  extra virgin olive oil, as needed
• 4 -5  tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 4  tomatoes (medium to large)
• 1  teaspoon  dried  herbes de provence or 1  teaspoon dried thyme or 1  tablespoon fresh thyme leave

Directions

1. Combine flour and egg yolk in a bowl with a pinch of salt; quickly mix in butter with your hands, then add enough cold water to gather dough into a ball.
2. If time allows, refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer (you can leave it in refrigerator, well wrapped, for up to a day, or freeze for up to a month).
3. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
4. Use olive oil to lightly grease a 10- to 12-inch round pizza pan, preferably nonstick.
5. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface or simply press it into pan, right up to edges.
6. Bake about 10 minutes, or until it is just beginning to color.
7. Remove and set on a rack.
8. Turn oven to 400 degrees.
9. Spread crust with mustard.
10. Core tomatoes; if they are very juicy, cut in half through equator and squeeze out some juice, shaking out most of seeds as well.
11. Cut into slices about 1/4-inch thick and place in a single layer on crust.
12. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs, then drizzle with olive oil.
13. Bake tart about 30 minutes, or until tomatoes are shriveled and hot and crust is browned.
14. Serve hot or warm; this does not keep very well.