TOMATO TARTE TATIN
Serves 3–4 (See opposite)
Pastry
1 cup (150g) plain flour
Pinch of salt
85g cold unsalted butter, chopped
into small pieces
The tomatoes
600g (about 16) smallish Roma
tomatoes
40g unsalted butter
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil large clove garlic, finely chopped
1–2 small red chillies, finely
chopped
2 tsp caster sugar
¾ tsp sea salt flakes, or more
to taste
Freshly ground black pepper,
to taste
1½ tsp balsamic (or fig) vinegar Basil leaves, to garnish (optional)
1. For the pastry, whiz the flour and salt together in a food processor. Add the butter and whiz everything again until the mixture resembles medium breadcrumbs. With the motor running, pour in 2 tablespoons (40ml) iced water and process only until the dough forms a ball around the blade. The time for this varies a bit depending on the weather, when it’s warm it seems to come together faster.
2. Tip the dough out onto a board and shape it into a ball. Now, flatten it into a disc and wrap it tightly in cling film. Chill the disc in the fridge for 30–40 minutes or until the pastry is firm but supple enough to roll out. By the way, if you want to make the pastry ahead of time, it keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days, but it will be too firm to roll at this stage, so let it warm to room temperature until it’s pliable. If you like, you can make the pastry a few weeks ahead and freeze it, then just defrost it in the fridge overnight.
3. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured board into a roughly 4mm-thick round, just slightly larger than the diameter of a 24cm non-stick, ovenproof frying pan – ideally one with straight sides. Using a dinner plate of similar size to the frying pan as a guide, cut a round slightly larger than the diameter of the frying pan. Pick the pastry up on your rolling pin and unfurl it onto the lined baking sheet, then pop it in the fridge while you prepare the tomatoes.
4. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a large plate or baking tray with paper towel. Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and use a teaspoon to scoop out and discard the seeds and pulp. Sit them on the prepared tray, cut-side down, to drain. After 15 minutes, pat them dry.
5. Melt half the butter with half the oil in the frying pan over medium-low heat. Remove the pan from the heat and sit the tomatoes, skin-side down, in the pan. Make sure they’re tightly packed and slightly overlapping so they completely cover the base of the pan (if necessary, add a couple of extra tomato halves). Dot the rest of the butter on top and drizzle with the remaining oil. Sprinkle the garlic, chilli, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar evenly over the top. Return the pan to the heat, and cook the tomatoes for 5–8 minutes or until the bottoms are colouring up (the juices will bubble around them). Turn the pan regularly so the tomatoes caramelise evenly. As soon as they’re ready, turn off the heat.
6. While the tomatoes are cooking, take the pastry round out of the fridge. When the tomatoes are ready, working quickly as the pastry softens rapidly, gently press the pastry round on top and tuck it down the sides of the pan. Cut 3 x 3cm slits in the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape. Now just pop the pan into the oven and bake the tart for 25–30 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp. If you notice the pastry is puffing up during the first 15 minutes or so of baking, carefully press it down again (I slip my hand into a silicon oven glove to do this).
7. A word of warning, you need to be really careful and use thick oven gloves or thick tea towels when you do this next step as the handle will be red-hot. When the tart is ready, take it out of the oven and leave it to settle for a few minutes. Then sit a large, flat serving plate or board on top of the pan and invert the tart onto it. If any bits of tomato stick to the pan, just ease them off and press them back on the tart. Garnish with a few basil leaves, if using, and eat it straightaway. >