Tomato Tartine Recipe

toast focaccia

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange focaccia slices on a baking sheet. Brush both sides lightly with 3 tbs olive oil and sprinkle the 1 tsp sea salt evenly over the tops. Toast in the oven 6–8 minutes, flip, and toast another 4–6 minutes until the bread is golden and edges are crisp but interior still slightly tender. Remove from oven.

While still warm, rub the top of each slice with the halved garlic cloves to impart a gentle garlic note. Spread about 2 tbs ricotta or labneh thinly on each warmed focaccia slice (reserve remaining ricotta for finish). Set toasted slices on a rack.

prepare tomatoes

Place the thinly sliced tomatoes in a medium bowl. Scatter the thinly sliced shallot over the tomatoes.

Add 1 tbs lemon juice, 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tsp fine sea salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Gently toss to coat without bruising the slices. Let sit 8–12 minutes so tomatoes macerate and release some juices; this quick marination concentrates flavor and keeps the tartine juicy but not soggy.

Just before assembling, fold in the tomato leaves (or basil) to distribute their bright herbaceous flavor. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

toast sesame seeds

Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 3 tbs sesame seeds and dry-toast, stirring constantly, for about 1–2 minutes until aromatic and a few seeds turn golden-brown. Watch carefully: sesame can go from toasty to burnt quickly. Remove seeds to a small bowl.

Return the skillet to low heat, add 1 tsp neutral oil and the toasted seeds back to the pan for about 15–30 seconds to develop a faint 'burnt' benne flavor (smokier, slightly darker). Immediately remove and sprinkle the 0.25 tsp sea salt over the hot seeds, stirring to coat. Let cool.

Spoon a generous mound of the marinated tomato slices and shallot evenly over each ricotta-spread focaccia slice, letting some juices run onto the bread for flavor but not pooling excessively. Arrange any larger tomato leaf pieces decoratively on top.

Scatter the burnt benne seeds over each tartine for crunchy, smoky contrast. Drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil over each assembled tartine (about 1/2 tsp each) and finish with a crack of fresh black pepper and optional microgreens or basil.

Serve immediately while the bread is still slightly warm and crisp. If preparing ahead, keep components separate (toasted focaccia, macerated tomatoes, toasted benne) and assemble just before serving to preserve texture.