Appetizer Tomato, Olive and Goat Cheese Tarts
Appetizer · French Cooking Classes · Provencal Recipes · TasteThis appetizer, a Provence Gourmet recipe for tomato, olive and goat cheese tarts, is delicious. We prepared the tarts for a starter course during one of Gilles Conchy’s cooking classes. If you are looking for hands-on, fun classes in Provence, then look no further. Gilles puts you to work preparing traditional Provencal recipes and some of his personal creations.
The tarts include a few easy steps, making the pastry shells, preparing the green olive tapenade, chopping tomatoes and the goat cheese topping. It’s not complicated, and the result makes for a lovely starter course with a green salad or a savoury bite with cocktails.

Tomato Olive Tarts - Appetizer
There are a few steps to this recipe, but don't be put off. There is nothing complicated, and you will love the result. As a bonus, the little tart shells are a bit like savoury shortbread so you can serve those on their own. And, if you make too much olive tapenade, it will keep for a few days in the fridge.
Ingredients
For the Tomato Tart:
- 250 g (1 cup) flour
- 125 g (1/2 cup) Parmesan cheese grated
- 125 g (1/2 cup) melted butter
- 1 egg
- a pinch of Salt
- 3 heirloom tomatoes washed and chopped
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- olive oil
- to taste salt and pepper
- a small bunch fresh thyme
For the Green Olive Tapenade:
- 350 g (2 cups) green olives pitted
- 50 g (2 oz) pine nuts lightly grilled
- a handful of fresh basil washed
- 1 can Tuna in oil drained
- 2 tsp capers
- 50 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
- pepper
Topping and Serving:
- 2 rounds fresh goat cheese
- 2 cups mixed greens lettuce
Instructions
Prepare the Tart Shells:
- Mix the flour, parmesan cheese, butter, egg and salt all together until combined.
- Shape dough to the size of your molds (muffin tin or another pan).
- Bake 10 minutes at 350F° to brown slightly.

- Once out of the oven, spread 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard on the crusts.
- Chop the tomatoes and put aside.
Prepare the Green Olive Tapenade :
- Taste an olive and if too salty soak them in a bowl of water for an hour.
- In a mixer, add the drained olives, tuna and capers, the slightly grilled pine seeds, a handful worth of fresh basil leaves, olive oil and pepper.
- Mix it all together to form a paste.
- If the mixture is too dry add a little more oil.
Prepare the Tarts:
- Scoop the tapenade into your pastry shells.
- Add the chopped tomatoes on top of the tapenade.
- Drizzle with olive oil, add salt, pepper and thyme.
- Top with a piece of goat cheese.
- Put the tarts back in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Serve barely warm with seasonal lettuce.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Contact us using the form (below) to book a Provence Gourmet Class:
Error: Contact form not found.
Legal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Previous Post
Where to Eat Lunch in Aix-en-Provence?Related Provence Articles
Pretty in Pink Praline Tart a Dessert from Lyon for Valentines
January 13, 2023
A little more than a year ago, I had a nice e-chat with my friend Romain, who writes The Food Trotter. He had just moved from Paris to Lyon and told me of some of the local specialities, one being the iconic Lyonnaise Tarte aux Prâlines Roses (Pink Praline Tart). So naturally, I was intrigued, …
Eggplant Cakes with a Pesto Sauce to Start the Evening
May 8, 2019
They prepared several delicious dishes for the evening, but these Eggplant Cakes in a Tomato Pesto Sauce were my favourite. You can serve this recipe as an appetizer, the first course for a dinner party or even at lunchtime with a green salad. Think of this as a savoury cake. Once the eggplant is cooked, simply combine with the rest of the ingredients and bake. The dish can be served with the pesto sauce (below), a tomato sauce or combine the two for a rich flavour experience.…
French Dessert Tarte Tatin with Pears for a Seasonal Sweet
February 8, 2024
My husband arrived from the family orchards with a box of perfect pears. These medium-sized pears were bright green with hints of red and slightly but not too ripe. So I decided that Tarte Tatin aux Poires – Tarte Tatin with Pears- would be on the menu for my upcoming cooking class. You may already …
Explore these Options for Culinary Holidays in Provence
December 6, 2017
Provence’s natural beauty, rich cultural history and agreeable weather are some of the many reasons that one might choose to visit the region. However, it is the food and wine that will make you want to come back time and again. This article outlines a variety of available options for a culinary holiday in Provence. …
No Comment