Tomato Tart
Baking sheet
Sauté pan
9-inch cast iron skillet
1.
This recipe requires time and planning but can be broken down into manageable stages. Unfold the puff pastry, cut out a 10-inch round, and chill until ready to use.
2.
Preheat the oven to 225ºF. Slice the tomatoes in half and toss them on a sheet pan with dry vermouth. Arrange the tomato halves skin side down and roast for 3 hours, until they’ve lost more than 50% of their moisture but are still moist.
3.
While the tomatoes are roasting, caramelize the onions. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat, add the onions, and cook slowly, stirring occasionally. Allow the onions to caramelize deeply without browning too much on the outside, which may take up to 1 ½ hours. If they start to scorch, add a tablespoon of water and adjust the heat. Once they’re a deep amber color, remove from heat and set aside.
4.
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. In a 9-inch cast iron skillet, combine the sugar and water. Cook over medium heat, swirling to combine, until the sugar melts and turns amber, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with Sherry vinegar, swirling to combine.
5.
Arrange the olive slices over the caramel, followed by the roasted tomatoes in an overlapping circular pattern, cut side down. Sprinkle with thyme, salt, and black pepper, then add a layer of melted onions. Place puff pastry over the tart, tucking the edges in all around. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg.
6.
Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Let the tart rest for five minutes, but don’t wait any longer, as the caramelized sugars will harden. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the tart, then place a serving platter over the skillet and flip it upside down to release the tart. Serve immediately.
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce package of all butter puff pastry or homemade
- 1 pound (500 grams) of small, ripe tomatoes such as Romas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dry vermouth
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 medium onions, thinly sliced, you can also use 150 g of my melted onion recipe
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon Sherry vinegar
- ¼ cup sliced black olives, such as Kalamata
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- Salt to taste
- Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 egg lightly beaten
Cook's Notes
Savory meets sweet in this French-inspired upside-down tart, a riff on the classic Tarte Tatin. Roasted tomatoes in olive oil and dry vermouth, sweet caramelized onions, Kalamata olives, Sherry vinegar, thyme, and flaky puff pastry come together for a dish that’s both rich and satisfying.