Brunch at Bobby’s was on the Cooking Channel yesterday morning. I don’t know about you, but Sunday brunch is hands-down my favorite meal.

It is by its very nature a special occasion, because brunch is not something we have every day. Sunday noon is the best time to get all my family together, so it’s a relaxed, fun meal.

And it’s the perfect magic synthesis of breakfast foods, lunch, dinner, and dessert.

When we have Sunday brunch at our house, it is usually such a production that dinner that night can be something quick and light.

Anyway, Bobby Flay prepared a tomato tart that looked delicious, so I made it this morning for brunch. It was a success – everyone loved it. The tart was simple to make, and it would be delicious as a dinner item, too. I’m thinking about adding pancetta or bacon next time. I see on Amazon that Brunch at Bobby’s cookbook is being published soon.

Guess who will be pre-ordering? This girl!

Ingredients for tart dough:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 12 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into1/2-inch pieces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons cold water

 Tart:

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
• 4 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch slices, seeds removed
• 6 ounces Camembert cheese, sliced into 1/8-inch strips
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Preparation For the dough:

1. Combine the flour, butter and some salt and pepper using a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. Mix in 2 tablespoons of the oil and the water just until the bottom of the mixture begins to cling together. If necessary, add an additional tablespoon of oil.
3. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Note:

I use a food processor. Just put the flour, salt, and pepper in the processor, add the cold butter pieces, and pulse a few times. Drizzle in the olive oil, pulse again, and add water very slowly until the dough just starts to come together. Turn it out onto a piece of plastic wrap at this point, shape it into a ball, wrap it up, and refrigerate. OR, use a pre-made refrigerated pie dough. You may have to roll it out on a floured surface to make it big enough to fit your tart pan.

For the tart:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Roll the chilled dough into a 14-inch circle and place into a 12-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
3. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
4. Press the dough into the tart pan and then rolled my rolling pin over the top of the pan to cut off the extra dough.
5. Spread the mustard over the bottom of the tart shell. Sprinkle the Gruyere evenly over the mustard and alternately place the tomato and Camembert over the Gruyere.
6. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 35 minutes.

 

Quick herbed olive oil:

I used extra Gruyere, and Brie in place of Camembert, because I looove Brie. Make the herbed olive oil as soon as you put the tart in the oven, so the flavors can get to know each other. I had extra oil at the end – pasta tonight!

Mix together the olive oil, basil, parsley, thyme and garlic in a small bowl. Brush two-thirds of the mixture over the tart. Remove the tart and cool briefly before serving. Serve warm with the remaining herb oil.