About This Dish

This Heirloom Tomato Tart with Burrata is a love letter to simple, high-quality ingredients. It’s a sophisticated yet refreshingly straightforward dish, perfectly portioned for one. Using delicious summer tomatoes, sliced and laid on top of a punchy but fresh anchovy pesto, baked until the puff pastry base is golden and crisp and topped with creamy burrata. It's truly heaven! And the perfect solo lunch on a summers day.

Why You Want to Make This Recipe (Especially for a Solo Treat!)

If you're navigating the world of solo cooking– whether you're a student craving something beyond instant noodles, a single professional wanting a quick but gourmet meal, an empty nester rediscovering the joy of cooking for yourself, or a single parent grabbing a moment of peace with a delicious bite – this Heirloom Tomato Tart with Burrata is your new best friend. Here’s why:

1. Perfectly Portioned: This single-serve tomato tart looks and tastes incredibly sophisticated, yet it's surprisingly simple to assemble, especially when using ready-made puff pastry. It’s designed as a one portion delight, meaning no food waste and no fussing with leftovers if you don't want them.
2. Flavours of Summer: This recipe is all about letting the quality of the ingredients shine, especially the heirloom tomatoes. The combination of creamy burrata, sweet tomato and punchy anchovy pesto is a flavour bomb.
3. Quick to Assemble, Big on Satisfaction: Using store-bought puff pastry dramatically cuts down on prep time. This means a dinner for one can be on your table with minimal effort, perfect for a weeknight indulgence or a relaxed weekend lunch.
4. Adaptable and Inspiring: The core components of this tart are wonderfully versatile. The tomato and burrata topping, along with the pesto, can be reimagined in other delicious ways, like a tomato bruschetta or burrata bruschetta.
5. It Feels Like a Treat (Because It Is!): There’s something inherently special about a golden, flaky tart, perfectly ripe tomatoes, and creamy burrata. Making this for yourself is an act of self-love, proving that solo cooking can be a five-star experience. It’s a dish that celebrates you!
6. Seasonal Joy: This tart truly sings when heirloom tomatoes are at their peak, typically from mid-summer into early autumn.

Top Tips for Your Tarte Tomate

To ensure your Heirloom Tomato Tart with Burrata is nothing short of spectacular, keep these tips in mind:

• Puff Pastry: If using frozen puff pastry, thaw it according to package directions, usually in the fridge overnight. Handle it gently and keep it cool. Scoring a border around the edge will help create a nice crust.
• Seasonal Tomatoes: Seek out the best quality heirloom tomatoes you can find. Look for a variety of colours, shapes, and sizes if possible, for visual appeal and a broader flavour spectrum. They should be ripe but still firm enough to slice neatly. Gently pat your tomato slices with a paper towel to remove excess moisture before arranging them on the pastry; this prevents a soggy bottom.
• Burrata: Burrata is best served at room temperature to allow its creamy centre to be at its most luscious.
• Pesto: When making the anchovy pesto, taste as you go. The saltiness of anchovies can vary. You want a balanced flavour that complements, not overpowers. If you’re making it ahead, a thin layer of olive oil on top can prevent it from browning.
• Seasoning is Everything: Don't underestimate the power of good quality sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Season the tomatoes before baking and give a final flourish before serving.
• Bruschetta: Thinking beyond the tart? The combination of chopped heirloom tomatoes, a dollop of that creamy burrata, and a drizzle of the anchovy pesto (or a vegetarian version) makes an absolutely divine tomato bruschetta or burrata bruschetta topping. Simply toast some good quality artisan bread, rub with a garlic clove if you like, and pile on the deliciousness for an incredible appetiser or light meal. This is a fantastic way to use any leftover components if you’ve made a slightly larger batch for your one portion meal.

More Detail on the Ingredients and Tools Needed

Let's delve into the stars of our Heirloom Tomato Tart:

Key Ingredients:

• Puff Pastry: This is your golden, flaky base. All-butter puff pastry will give you the best flavour. For a single-serve tart, a pre-rolled sheet cut to size is incredibly convenient.
• Heirloom Tomatoes: The heart of the tart. You could use any tomato here but if you can find heirloom tomatoes then they do feel extra special.
• Burrata: I typically opt for buffalo mozzarella over burrata as I think it has more flavour, however in this dish, the creamy stracciatella (the creamy inside of burrata) adds the perfect texture contrast to the crisp tart.Using half a ball is perfect for a one portion tart.
• ‍Fresh Basil: The aromatic backbone of the pesto, providing a sweet, slightly peppery, and fresh flavour.‍
• Anchovies: These tiny, oily fish are salt-cured and packed with umami. In the pesto, they dissolve and add a deep savoury complexity that enhances the tomatoes beautifully.‍
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Choose a good quality EVOO for its fruity flavour. It binds the pesto and adds richness.‍
• Salt and Black Pepper: Essential for bringing out the flavours of all the components. Use flaky sea salt for finishing if you have it.

Essential Tools:

• Baking Sheet: To bake your tart on.
• Parchment Paper: To prevent the tart from sticking to the baking sheet and for easier cleanup – a bonus for any solo cook.
• Sharp Knife and Cutting Board: For slicing the tomatoes and any other prep.

Variations: Tailoring Your Tart

This heirloom tomato and burrata tart is stunning as is, but here’s how you can adapt it to different dietary needs or preferences:

• Vegetarian:
  • The main change needed is the pesto. Simply omit the anchovies. You can create a delicious vegetarian pesto with basil, garlic (optional, just a tiny clove), pine nuts (or walnuts), Parmesan cheese (if vegetarian, ensure it's made without animal rennet), and olive oil. For this specific tart, a simple basil and olive oil paste, perhaps with a tiny bit of garlic, would also work to keep the focus on the tomatoes and burrata.
• Gluten-Free:
  • Use a good quality gluten-free puff pastry, which should be available in your local supermarket.
• Dairy-Free:
  • This is trickier, as burrata is a key component. You could:
    • Substitute with a high-quality dairy-free mozzarella alternative, though the creamy centre of burrata will be missed. Some artisanal vegan "fresh mozzarella" style cheeses might offer a better texture.
    • Alternatively, pivot to a different creamy element, like a cashew cream or a dairy-free ricotta-style cheese. You can even find vegan burrata now!
    • Ensure the puff pastry is dairy-free (many are, but always check labels).
• Vegan:
  • Follow the dairy-free suggestions (vegan puff pastry, vegan cheese alternative or cashew cream).
  • For the pesto, create a vegan version using basil, pine nuts (or walnuts), nutritional yeast (for a cheesy flavour), garlic (optional), and olive oil. Omit the anchovies entirely.

FAQs: Your Tart Queries Answered

• Q: Can I make this in the air fryer?
  • A: Yes! This is a simple baked tart so can be baked in the air fryer at 180ºC. It may take slightly less time than it would in the oven, so check after 18 minutes and keep go from there.
• Q: What if I can't find heirloom tomatoes?
  • A: Don't worry! While heirloom tomatoes offer unique flavours and colours, you can still make a delicious tomato tart using the best quality ripe vine tomatoes or plum tomatoes you can find. The key is ripeness and flavour.
• Q: Is this tart served hot or cold?
  • A: It’s best served warm, allowing the puff pastry to be at its crispiest and the burrata to be nicely softened and creamy. However, it can also be enjoyed at room temperature.
• Q: Can I make the anchovy pesto ahead of time?
  • A: Yes, the pesto can be made a day or two in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent browning.
• Q: How do I prevent the puff pastry from getting soggy from the tomatoes?
  • A: Patting the tomato slices with a paper towel to remove excess moisture is key. But don't worry too much, the tart will crisp up nicely on the bottom.
• Q: I'm new to cooking for one. Is puff pastry hard to work with?
  • A: Not at all, especially if you buy pre-rolled sheets! The main things are to keep it cold while you work with it and follow package instructions for thawing and baking. It’s a fantastic ingredient for creating impressive single-serve meals without much effort.
• Q: This recipe mentions 1/2 ball of burrata. What do I do with the other half?
  • A: This is a classic solo cooking conundrum! The other half of the burrata would be delightful the next day simply served with more fresh tomatoes and basil, or you could try another of my recipes that uses burrata! Simply search for burrata on my recipe page.
• Q: Can you taste the anchovies in the pesto?
  • A: When used in small quantities as in this pesto, anchovies melt into the background, providing a deep savoury (umami) flavour rather than a distinctly "fishy" taste. They enhance the other flavours. However, if you're very unsure, you can start with just one anchovy or opt for the vegetarian pesto variation.