Gluten-Free Tuesday: Tomato Tart with Parmesan-Rosemary Crust

"[Photographs: Elizabeth Barbone] My garden started churning out tomatoes. I always eat the first few tomatoes right from the vine with a whisper of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt." But after that? It's tart-makin' time! To say I await tomato tarts all year is not an exaggeration. In fact, I blame my love of tomato tarts for the ridiculous number of tomato plants in my garden each spring. Just the promise of a tart influences my tomato selection. I'm always thinking, "How will this kind look/taste in a tart?" I think any tart is only as good as its crust. This one is made with a parmesan-rosemary scented short dough. It's sturdy enough to stand up to juicy tomatoes but still tender enough not to be confused with pizza dough. The delicate nature of gluten-free tart dough prompted me to press it into the tart pan instead of rolling it out because the dough broke apart when rolled. (Remember it lacks the gluten that strengthens wheat-based doughs.) As for the filling, tomatoes are the star, of course, but the provolone and caramelized onions act as supporting characters and offer a salty-sweet note. As with sweet tarts, this one welcomes playfulness. Vary the filling depending on what cheese or vegetables you have on hand. Use whatever you love and let us know what you create! Allergen Notes This tart is naturally egg-free, soy-free, and nut-free. It does contain dairy. If you are dairy-free, you can still make this tart. For the tart dough: omit the parmesan cheese and replace the butter with a solid shortening, increasing the amount of shortening used by two tablespoons to make up for the cheese. For the filling: omit the provolone and, right before filling, lightly brush the crust with olive oil. This keeps the crust crisp. The dairy-free version of this tart is very good but does lack the golden brown color dairy imparts to the tart. Bake the crust until it's firm and aromatic, about 20 minutes. About the author: Elizabeth Barbone of GlutenFreeBaking.com joins us every Tuesday with a new gluten-free recipe. Elizabeth is an alumna of the Culinary Institute of America and Mount Mary College. With her solid professional baking background, Elizabeth is known for creating gluten-free recipes that taste just like their wheat counterparts. She is the author of Easy Gluten-Free Baking...."