i’m obsessed with late summer tomatoes, farm-stand and heirloom are highly preferred.  i’ve never really made sauce and i’m not a huge fan of sandwiches, so i guess i’m kind of a purist when it comes to tomatoes.  i like them sliced with freshly ground pepper and sea salt, fresh basil leaves or any other herb on hand and sometimes some chevre.  that’s the fancy lunch.  sometimes it’s just a tomato, chomp, drizzle, slurp, YUM.

now it’s getting chilly out and i have to give into the fact that the autumn equinox did recently occur – even if it was upwards of 80 degrees that week.  the tomatoes are just on their way out.  i’ve been known to go far out of my way and ask family members for tomato favors as august draws to a close, in almost an early panic.  but this past week, my organic delivery co. informed me that there won’t be anymore in future boxes – depressing.  so what’s a tomato tart to do?  sign up for the extra bulk add-on and reap the benefits when six pounds of plump, striped, oddball shaped, green, yellow, purple, and juicy reds show up.  first up – tomato phyllo tart (how fitting):

tomato phyllo tart
“seriously” adapted from eating well

makes 12 servings – listed as low cal, low carb, low sodium

1 package of phyllo dough = 20-24 sheets, thawed (overlap sheets if they are the smaller sized ones)
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of plain, whole-wheat breadcrumbs – panko-style
2 tablespoons of pesto (homemade preferred, light version)
3/4 cup (4 ounces) of crumbled feta (i used trader joe’s light chevre)
tomatoes! (recipe called for one large red and one large yellow - i used green, striped, orange, etc. – have fun with it)
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
fresh basil leaves

allot yourself some time for this one, the phyllo dough is tricky to handle and you’ll need to keep the sheets moist by covering them with wax paper and a damp dish towel as you work with each layer.

preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  lay one large sheet of phyllo dough, or overlap two sheets, so that a rectangle is formed. 
lightly coat the layer with olive oil, using a pastry brush and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the bread crumbs. repeat the process until all sheets are used and top the final surface with the leftover oil.
carefully roll the outer edge, about 3/4-inch, of the dough inward to create the “crust.”
using the same pastry brush, cover the top surface with the pesto – as evenly as possible – and sprinkle with half of the cheese.
next, cover the surface with the tomato slices – alternating in color (you want it to look pretty, don’t you?) and season with salt and pepper.  sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
bake the tart until the crust turns brown and crispy – about 30-35 minutes.  let cool for five minutes on a wire rack and serve warm or at room temperature.

we took about an hour walk with jackson and then enjoyed the tart about 15 minutes after we got home. it was still warm and SOOOO good.  the leftovers have kept well in the fridge (flavors have blended nicely), so it’s okay to make this one day ahead.  just add the basil leaves before serving.  i’m planning on freezing some as well.

*alternate toppings:
for lunch, i added a slice of smoked salmon – would be even better with some fresh parsley or dill
try using olive tapenade instead of pesto, especially if you are serious about feta
some might prefer red onions or garlic as well
artichokes would be a nice touch, too or spinach