This week's work · 2026-08-17
Late-summer tomatoes, a buttery crust, and the tart that uses them all
Ripe August tomatoes layered over a mustard-brushed crust with cheese and herbs — the tart that uses up the last of the market's best tomatoes.
August tomatoes are the reason the season exists, and this week we had more than we knew what to do with. The answer was a tart: a buttery crust brushed with mustard, a layer of grated cheese, and rows of tomato slices arranged in overlapping circles until the whole thing looked like a stained-glass window.
We salted the tomato slices first and let them drain on a rack — the trick that keeps the tart from turning soggy — then arranged them over the cheese, scattered with thyme, and baked until the crust was golden and the tomatoes had collapsed into sweet, jammy rounds.
We ate it warm with a green salad, and then cold the next day for lunch, which is maybe the better way. The crust stayed crisp, the tomatoes tasted like August, and the mustard did its quiet work underneath.
The lesson was about the tart as the best use of a surplus. When the tomatoes are at their peak, you don't need much — a good crust, a little cheese, and the patience to salt and drain. The tomatoes do the rest.
When the tomatoes are at their peak, you don't need much — a good crust, a little cheese, and the patience to salt and drain.
The recipe
Late-Summer Tomato Tart
Ripe August tomatoes layered over a mustard-brushed crust with cheese and thyme — the tart that uses up the last of the market's best tomatoes.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Yield
- One 9-inch tart, 6 servings
What you'll need
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Non-perishable
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup ice water
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Flaky sea salt, to finish
Perishable
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar or gruyere
- 3 large ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick and drained on a rack
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Method
- Make the crust: pulse the flour and salt in a food processor, add the cold butter, and pulse until pea-size crumbs form. Add the ice water and pulse until the dough just comes together. Press into a disk, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Roll the dough into a 12-inch round and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan, trimming the edges. Chill 15 minutes, then prick the bottom with a fork and blind-bake 15 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Brush the warm crust with the mustard and scatter the cheese over the bottom.
- Arrange the drained tomato slices over the cheese in overlapping rows. Scatter with the thyme and pepper and drizzle with the olive oil.
- Bake 25–30 minutes, until the tomatoes are jammy and the crust is deep golden. Cool 10 minutes, scatter with flaky salt, and serve warm or at room temperature.
A few useful links
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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
ingredient
King Arthur 100% Organic All-Purpose Flour
The flour in the buttery tart crust.
What caught our attention: The gold standard for home bakers — consistent protein, no bleaching, and it's what most recipe developers test with. If a recipe works with King Arthur, it works.
Good to know: Costs a little more than store-brand flour, but the consistency is worth it for baking.
See the item on Amazon
ingredient
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
The salt in the crust and the salt that draws the tomatoes' juice.
What caught our attention: The crystals are light and grabby, so you can season by feel as the crust comes together. It's the salt selected for everyday use.
Good to know: It's a bigger box than you need at first, but it keeps forever and you'll use it daily.
See the item on Amazon
ingredient
Yupanqui Organic Black Peppercorns
The black pepper scattered over the tomatoes before baking.
What caught our attention: A few cracks of pepper over the finished tart is the finishing move — and this one has the aroma to make a half teaspoon matter.
Good to know: It's a single-origin spice in a generous bag — costs more than the supermarket tin, but it stays whole and aromatic for months.
See the item on Amazon
ingredient
Frantoia Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The olive oil drizzled over the arranged tomatoes.
What caught our attention: It's peppery and green in the way fresh-pressed oil should be, and a drizzle over the tomatoes makes them taste glossy and finished. Everything after it builds on that pour.
Good to know: It's pricier than a big jug of everyday oil, so the selected option suits cooking dishes like this.
See the item on Amazon
ingredient
Maldon Sea Salt Flakes
The flaky salt scattered over the finished tart.
What caught our attention: The pyramid flakes are the whole point — a clean mineral taste, a light crunch, and they dissolve fast on hot food. A pinch over the top is plenty.
Good to know: It's pricier than table salt, but you use a pinch at a time and it keeps for years.
See the item on Amazon
cookware
WÜSTHOF Classic 3-Piece Prep Knife Set
The knife that slices the tomatoes into even rounds.
What caught our attention: Reviews point to a practical three-blade spread. The chef's knife takes the heavy work, the paring knife handles detail, and the utility knife covers the middle; owners say the set earns its drawer space for years.
Good to know: It costs more than a set knife and every blade needs hand washing and regular honing. Skip it if you'd rather replace cheap blades than care for good ones.
See the item on Amazon
