Tarte à la tome

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Tarte à la tome is a cheese-curd tart from France, specifically the Carladès area which straddles Cantal and Aveyron. Its roots go back to small village bakers in the Carladès who created this pie using fresh curd or tome-style cheese, eggs and sugar, and it became a dessert served at local fairs and family-meal gatherings. For preparation one begins by making a short-crust pastry and lining a tart tin with it; next fresh cheese curd or softly pressed tome from the region is drained and blended with whole eggs, sugar and often vanilla or a little rum, then the mixture is poured into the pastry shell and baked until set and lightly caramelised on top. Variations include switching the cheese base between fresh curd (faisselle) or lightly matured tome, adjusting the sugar level or flavouring with citrus zest instead of rum, and in some versions adding a small quantity of cream for extra richness or incorporating prune pieces alongside the cheese filling. A distinctive characteristic of the tart is its filling made from fresh curd or regional tome cheese rather than custard or fruit, giving it a firm yet creamy texture and a subtle cheese flavour in a sweet format. Tarte à la tome is eaten cold or at room temperature as a dessert, often served after Sunday meals or at village fairs in Carladès, and it pairs well with a glass of local sweet or semi-sweet white wine or a light dessert cider, both of which complement the creamy cheese and mild sweetness of the tart.