Classic French Tomato Mustard Tart (Tarte à la Tomate)

It features a buttery puff pastry, with in-season ripe tomatoes, a sprinkle of grated cheese and a heavy smear of Dijon Mustard at the bottom. There are a number of variations to this classic Summer dish, including some with ham, anchovies, olives, etc… But if you ask me, this basic one is simply wonderful as is.

With just a few ingredients (puff pastry crust, tomatoes, Dijon mustard, cheese and tomatoes) there is nothing complicated to this tart recipe, except a few tips to know regarding the preparation of the tomatoes (read my tips below). You can opt for a store-bought pastry crust for simplicity (like I often do), or make your own if you wish. For the cheese, the French will classically opt for Gruyère or Comté.

But in North America, you can opt for white cheddar or mozzarella as more affordable options. For a Southern French touch, I love to add some Herbes de Provence. Herbes de Provence mix can be found online, in specialty stores or bulk stores (ie.

Bulkbarn in Canada). And if you can’t find Herbes de Provence, you can simply use thyme and/or rosemary – which are two very accessible herbs.

Cooking Tips for the tomatoes:

• Choose ripe tomatoes, although they shouldn’t be too soft to the touch. Round, large, heirloom or even cherry tomatoes (sliced in half) all work well. However, I don’t recommend plum tomatoes as they have too much juice.
• With two or three layers of sliced tomatoes, this tart can end up very watery once baked as the tomatoes will release their juices. To avoid this issue, slice the tomatoes, sprinkle them generously with salt on both sides and lay them in a single layer on a cooling rack for 2 hours so they release most of their excess juices.
• Likewise, another tip is to sprinkle 2 or 3 tablespoons of bread crumb at the bottom of the crust (on top of the mustard and cheese). The breadcrumbs will absorb the juices from the tomatoes and prevent the crust from getting soggy.
• Finally, make sure your oven is well preheated to 425F (220C) and pop the tart in the oven as soon as you are done placing the tomato slices on the crust. This “shock” of temperature will make the crust bake quickly before it has time to absorb the juice of the tomatoes.

I hope you’ll love this Classic French Tomato Mustard Tart recipe as much as I do!

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Did you make this recipe? I’d love to know how it turned out!

Please let me know by leaving a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram: tag @pardonyourfrench and hashtag it #pardonyourfrench. Bon Appetit!