Tomato Tarte Tatin

YOU GUYS.

I made this thing and it was so beautiful I almost couldn’t eat it. Emphasis on “almost”. I’m not completely insane.

Anyway, I’ve been relishing the last few weeks of summer tomatoes and decided to try making a Tomato Tarte Tatin because it’s been on my list of “scary recipes”. Doesn’t everyone have one of those? The recipes that you’re afraid to make because they sound or look complicated?

Well I have good news and bad news.. it’s NOT that complicated, but I also think it’s not for a beginner cook. Just being honest guys.

This is due to a few things, but mainly the caramelizing of the onions (patience is needed), the sugar-cooking process (gotta be careful with that), and the flipping of the tart onto the plate. If you haven’t seen it done, it might sound tricky, but once you get it, you’ll get it!

Here’s my notes for this recipe that you should take into account before making it:

it’s a pretty sweet tarte, so if you like more savory, I would add in cheese or maybe some olives to cut the sweetness. I’m actually mad at myself for not dropping some fresh mozz or burrata on there..
I roast the tomatoes a little bit first to let out some of the juices. Some recipes don’t call for this, but the tomatoes will pop otherwise in the tart and make it extra soggy. So I maintain this is an important step to release some of the juices and keep the puff pastry crisp
I didn’t use any fresh herbs, but I think that would be a nice addition, some fresh thyme on top (I used dried) or basil
I didn’t measure the Kosher salt. I just gave a nice sprinkling on top of the mixture before adding the puff pastry on top
I used heirloom tomatoes for the different colors, but you can easily use one kind of tomato, just keep them small
Some of the tomatoes stuck to the bottom of the pan when I did the flip onto the plate, but I just took them off and plopped them back on the tart. No one will ever know!

I think that about covers it. I hope you love this as much as I did!

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium red onion, sliced thin and halved
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin and halved
pinch of sugar
2 1/2 cups of cherry/heirloom tomatoes (small)
Drizzle of olive oil
1/4 cup of sugar
3 tbsp water
1 tsp sherry vinegar
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 package butter frozen puff pastry

Directions

Defrost frozen puff pastry (takes about an hour), and roll out to a 10-inch round (however big your pan is but I think that’s standard). Cover it with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge until ready to use. Preheat oven to 425.
In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter and add the onions. This is the boring part, because onions take about 20-25 mins to caramelize. Stir often, making sure they’re getting nice and soft and brown. If you feel they’re sticking, add 1-2 tbsp of water and scrape up any brown bits. Remove from heat.
While the onions are cooking, put the tomatoes on a sheet pan lined with tin foil (for easy clean up) and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the oven for 5-8 minutes until they start to pop and release their juices but don’t overcook them. Remove from oven and set aside.
In an oven-proof skillet (9 or 10 inches), add the 1/4 cup sugar and 3 tbsp water and cook, swirling the pan gently. Don’t stir, just pick it up and swirl every so often until it turns a light gold/amber color (5-8 mins). Add the sherry vinegar and swirl again. It will bubble up a little but not enough to be scary!
Turn off the heat and add the tomatoes on top of the sherry caramel mixture, pushing them together to make the edges rounded for the tart. Add the onions and thyme on top, then sprinkle with Kosher salt. Top with the puff pastry and tuck in the edges (careful with your hands don’t burn yourself on the hot pan).
Cut some slits in the top of the puff pastry and bake for 25-30 mins until golden brown and puffed up. When you take it out, let stand for 5 minutes and loosen the edges with a butterknife or thin spatula.
Place plate on top of the pan (it should fit INSIDE the pan), and carefully flip the skillet upside down so the tart pops out onto the plate. Again, if there are stuck tomatoes, just take them out with a spoon and place back on the tart! Cut into wedges and serve. Or drop some fresh mozz on top too before serving! YUM.