Tomato and Mozzarella Tart

“Here is a recipe that we love in August and September when the heirloom tomatoes are at their peak. We love it best when we can use several colors and varieties of tomatoes - in the best years, from our own garden. Enjoy!” Love, Elizabeth & Noah

ingredients

1 1-pound box of frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
3-4 heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices
salt
pepper
flour
2-3 medium garlic cloves, minced
2-3 T extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces low-moisture, whole-milk mozzarella, shredded (@2cups) [do not use fresh, it has too much liquid]
2-3 T coarsely chopped fresh basil

directions

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1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F, rack positioned in the lower-middle.
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2. Dust work surface with flour and unfold puff pastry. I(f puff pastry comes in two sheets, unfold both, brush beaten egg along one edge of one sheet, overlap second sheet by 1 inch and press down to seal edges together). With a rolling pin, smooth out sheet (and seam if necessary). Dough rectangle should measure about 18 x 9 inches. Use a pizza wheel or knife to trim edges straight. Cut a 1-inch border strip from the long side of the dough. Cut another 1-inch srip from the same side. Cut a 1-inch border from the short side of the dough. Cut another 1-inch strip from the same side. Transfer the remaining large piece of dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with beaten egg. Gently press the long strips of dough onto the 2 long sides and brush with egg. Repeat with short pieces. Trim any overhang to have a neat rectangle.
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3. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the bottom, main section of the shell; using a fork, dock the bottom, main section of the shell (uniformly and thoroughly poke holes in the bottom to prevent the pastry from puffing anywhere except the border of the shell). Bake approximately 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees; bake until golden brown and crisp, approximately 15 more minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and turn oven temperature back up to 425.
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4. While shell is baking, place tomato slices in a single layer on 2 layers of paper towel. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Place 2 more layers of paper towels on top of the tomatoes and press firmly; let stand 30 minutes.
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5. Combine garlic, olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper in a small bowl; set aside.
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6. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over the bottom of the shell. Shingle the tomatoes slices widthwise on top of the cheese, filling the shell. Brush the tomatoes with the garlic oil. Bake until shell is a deep golden brown and cheese is melted, 15 - 17 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 5 minutes, sprinkle with basil, cut, and serve.