Impress Your Guests with a Mouth-Watering Tomato and Smashed Eggplant Tart

Are you ready to impress your guests with a mouth-watering tomato and smashed eggplant tart? This recipe is perfect for using up those excess tomatoes and will definitely steal the show at any gathering. You can even take a shortcut by using store-bought baba ganoush instead of the eggplant. Let’s dive into the delicious details of this amazing dish!

Tomato and Smashed Eggplant Tart Recipe
Serves: 6-8

Smashed Eggplant
1 large eggplant
¼ cup tahini
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Tart
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp sugar
1 clove garlic, chopped
4-5 sprigs thyme
600g tomatoes, halved
400g puff pastry

First things first, preheat your oven to 200C.

For the smashed eggplant, start by pricking the eggplant with a small sharp knife a few times. Then, pop it onto an oven tray and let it cook for 20-25 minutes until it’s completely softened. Once it’s done, take it out and let it cool down a bit. Then, split it down the middle and scoop out the inside into a small bowl. Add the tahini, garlic, lemon zest, and juice. Mash it all together with a fork or use a stick blender if you have one.

Now, let’s move on to the tart. Put the butter and sugar into a 22cm ovenproof frying pan and let it melt. Toss in the chopped garlic and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Take it off the heat and sprinkle in the thyme sprigs.

Next, snugly place the tomato halves, cut side down, into the pan in a circular pattern, making sure there are no spaces left. Then, spread the eggplant smash on top of the tomatoes.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured bench until it’s 2cm larger than the pan. Carefully place it on top, tucking in the edges. It’s okay if it looks a bit rustic. Pop it into the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is all puffed up and golden. Once it’s done, take it out and let it cool for 15 minutes.

When you’re ready to show off your creation, grab a large plate and place it on top of the pan. Now, here comes the fun part – carefully flip the pan over to reveal the stunning tart. Voila! Your tomato and smashed eggplant tart is ready to impress!