As fresh and light as late summer, this *no cheese* pizza is as delicious fresh from the over as it is an hour later as a room temperature snack. Subtle differences and seasonal simplicity are the key to its surprising charm: 1) it’s made with puff pastry instead of pizza dough 2) the base is a thin smear of sour cream and grainy mustard, not a sauce or pesto and 3) the tomatoes are roasted on top. The finish is freshly minced thyme, cooked inside and sprinkled on top, refreshingly different than the usual basil. I recommend freshly cracked black pepper for heat but red pepper a-OK if you prefer it. Easy to make. I make them 2 at a time and never have leftovers. Serves 6 as a main course, 12-15 as small plate or appetizer.
A word about tomatoes: Choose wisely. This tart is only as good as the tomatoes. Grow and pick your own heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes at vine ripeness or choose from a trusted farmer’s market. Once tomatoes have been refrigerated to hold and transport to market they are significantly reduced in quality. Off season tomatoes are not recommended at all for this.
For the base, combine 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 TB very grainy mustard, 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, grind of pepper (can be made a day ahead and refrigerated).
I use convenient puff pastry from the refrigerator section of the grocery. It rolls out ready on a parchment sheet. Many brands are available but I use Wewalka, shown here: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spread the puff pastry on a cookie sheet. Use your fingers to spread the sour cream and mustard base on the pastry. Leave a !/4 inch border. Top with thinly sliced tomatoes overlapping only slightly. Roast until pastry is golden brown and tomatoes look shriveled and dry, approximately 35 minutes. Peek underneath to check that the pastry is fully cooked at center, this can be tricky. Let cool slightly before cutting into squares. top with freshly minced thyme, salt and pepper.
Lovely at breakfast, we recommend it with poached eggs and fresh fruit. At brunch or dinner I also serve a side of Sweet Pickled Jalapeno Peppers, a crowd pleasing topping.