tomato & Herb Tart
Recipe by: Fiona Hammond
This tart is based on the concept of the French classic, tarte tatin, using tomatoes instead of apples. It’s baked in a cake tin to make inverting on to a plate easier than lifting a heavy tatin pan
- Summer, Autumn
- 1.2kg ripe tomatoes (about 10 medium size)
- Sea salt
- ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 6 sprigs thyme (or oregano), leaves plucked, plus extra for garnish
- About 6 basil leaves, torn
- 1/3 cup olives, pitted
- 22cm square puff pastry sheet (Careme brand used), lay flat in fridge until needed
- 100g feta, crumbled
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Line the base and sides of a 20cm square cake tin with a sheet baking paper.
1. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthways then remove the core. Using a teaspoon scrape out the seeds, this will help reduce the amount of liquid when the tomatoes are cooking. Lightly sprinkle the cut sides with salt.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes cut side down and cook for 5 minutes until well browned underneath. Transfer the tomatoes to a tray and set aside to cool.
3. Return the frying pan to the heat, add the remaining oil and the garlic. Cook for a minute, then stir in the brown sugar and vinegar until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid bubbles and becomes syrupy. Immediately remove from the heat and pour syrup into the lined tin.
4. Arrange the cooled tomatoes cut side up in the tin. Scatter over the thyme and basil leaves, grind black pepper over the top and pop olives in between the tomato halves.
5. Lay the chilled pastry over the top and tuck the edges to the inside of the tin. This becomes the base of the tart with a lipped edge. With the point of a sharp knife make a few incisions in the pastry to create vents, this allows steam to escape and prevents the pastry rising.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and rest for 5 minutes. Place a large serving plate with a raised edge over the tin, then holding plate and tin together, carefully invert. The tart slips onto the plate with the tomatoes facing up and juices will collect in base of plate. Scatter over crumbled feta, if desired. Garnish with extra thyme sprigs.
Serve tart warm cut into squares.