Tomato Tart with Olives

Tomato Tart with Olives is a simple puff pastry tart topped with ripe tomatoes, black olives and capers. It makes a delicious lunch or dinner served with a greek salad. It’s quick and easy to make, and it tastes unbelievably good. 

Why make Tomato Tart with Olives?

Sometimes the simplest recipe turns out to be just outstanding. And this Tomato Tart is one of those recipes. It is a puff pastry base topped with fresh tomatoes, some olives and capers and yet something magical happens when it is baked and it tastes like there is something more going on!

The other great reason to make this tart is that is so quick and easy and yet it looks good enough to serve for informal entertaining.

What ingredients do I need to make Tomato Tart?

All the ingredients for this Tomato Tart are readily available and, with the exception of the olives and capers you probably already have them in your larder, fridge or freezer already. Here is what you need:

• puff pastry
• tomatoes
• sugar
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• black olives
•  capers 
• egg 

What kind of puff pastry should I use?

I use a ready-made puff pastry sheet. You can also buy puff pastry in blocks and roll it out yourself or you can make your own puff pastry. Homemade puff pastry is super delicious but it does take a bit of planning ahead and time to make it. For this recipe I use the standard puff pastry, you can also buy all-butter puff pastry if you prefer.

What kind of tomatoes should I use?

Use good quality ripe tomatoes, the better the tomatoes the tastier the tart. I use large vine tomatoes or plum tomatoes. Plum tomatoes have less water and more flesh which makes them ideal for this kind of tart. You can also use cherry or grape tomatoes, they bring a lovely sweetness to the tart.

Why should I add sugar to tomatoes?

Add a little sprinkle of sugar to the tomatoes to help to cut the acidity and balance the flavours. It may seem counterintuitive to add sugar to a savoury recipe but it really works.

What kind of olives should I use?

Tomato Tart with olives is based on a Greek recipe, so I use black Kalamata olives. These olives have a good flavour and stand up well to being baked at a high temperature on the Tomato Tart.

I find it is best to use stoned olives so that unsuspecting diners don’t crack their teeth on the olive stones!

What are capers?

Capers are the small flower buds of the Capparis shrub. You can use salt, wine vinegar, brine or olive oil to preserve the capers. I use the brine-pickled variety as they have a sharper flavour, and the olives already add enough salt to the tart.

What can I substitute for capers?

If you don’t have or don’t like capers then you don’t have to use them. They add a nice pepper taste but the Tomato Tart is still delicious with just the olives.

Although you don’t need many, capers are quite expensive to buy. So if you like to make pickles then you can easily pickle nasturtium seeds which make a good substitute. The ‘capers’ that I use in the photographs for this recipe are pickled nasturtium seeds.

Can I add any other toppings?

Olives can be an acquired taste and they are not for everyone. You can make the tomato tart without the olives or the capers, using only the tomatoes. Here are some other flavours that would work with the tomatoes on this tart:

• crumbled feta cheese
• basil leaves (add after baking)
• lardons or pancetta in small pieces
• red onion
• rocket/arugula (add after baking)

Can I make the Tomato Tarts ahead of time?

You can prepare all of your ingredients ahead of baking the Tomato Tart with Olives. The puff pastry can be prepared and marked and stored in the fridge from the day before you plan to serve the tarts. Then simply add the toppings, brush with egg and bake. Leave the tarts to cool a little before serving.

Can I freeze Tomato Tart with Olives?

Tomato Tart is not suitable for freezing.

Vegetarian

This tart is meat-free and suitable for vegetarians.

Gluten Free

Use Gluten Free (free from) puff pastry to make this recipe suitable for a GF diet. Always check the labels of any ingredients that you use to make sure they are suitable for your diet.

For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.

How do I serve Tomato Tart with Olives?

Serve the Tomato Tart warm rather than hot to get the full flavour of the tomatoes. You can also serve the tarts at room temperature but don’t serve fridge cold.

I like to serve this tart for lunch or supper with Greek salad. Serve with more salads and some new potatoes or baked (jacket) potatoes to make it a more substantial feast.

Make different sized Tomato Tarts with Olives

You can also make one single large Tomato Tart with Olives and then cut into portions of the size you want to serve. Make Tomato Tart canapes by cutting the pastry into small squares and topping with a slice of a small tomato and a slice of olive.

More Tomato Recipes from Farmersgirl Kitchen 

Easy Tomato & Bacon Tart combines a crisp shortcrust pastry pie shell with sweet juicy tomatoes and salty bacon pieces, all baked in a creamy egg custard.

Garlic Bread and Tomato Bake is a quick and easy recipe that’s filling and tasty. Make leftover garlic bread into a whole new meal with a few other ingredients that you probably already have in your larder and fridge.

Tomato Chilli Jam is a sweet and spicy relish with a medium chilli punch. It is super delicious with cold meats and cheese or add it to sauces and casseroles for an extra kick.

Air Fryer Sun Dried Tomatoes are delicious partly dried tomatoes sometimes known as sun blush tomatoes. You can store them in olive oil or freeze to use later. 

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This recipe was first published in July 2013.