This tart is great served either hot or cold, and seems to taste even better the following day !This is a great lunch dish and can be served either hot or cold. It does take some time to put together, but is well worth the effort.
I also like this recipe because nearly all the ingredients in it, are basic things which you usually have in your kitchen – it’s a great recipe for me, living so far away from the shops, if I suddenly hear that we have guests on the way & I need to make something nice to serve and have low food stocks ! It’s also great for vegetarians.
I have adapted the recipe slightly, and have added notes in where I have done so. (Have also adjusted the measurements for overseas readers !) I also think it might be rather nice with feta cheese crumbled over the top just before serving ….
Never mind the slightly fancy name - my 5 year old daughter simply calls this ‘Tomato Cake’ !
Upside Down Caramelised Tomato and Onion Tart (from ‘The Good Food Cookbook’ by Ina Paarman)
6 – 8 ripe red tomatoes, cut into quarters
Herb salad dressing (I used olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper & dried basil instead)
2 Red Peppers, seeded & cut into eighths (I left these out as I did not have any)
5 medium-sized Onions, sliced into half circles
3 T (45 ml/1.5 fl oz) Butter or Olive Oil
Garlic & Herb Seasoning (I used salt & freshly ground black pepper)
¾ cup (150 gm/5 oz) Sugar (I used brown sugar)
1 T (15 ml/1/2 fl oz) Water
Shortcrust Pastry (see recipe below – which needs to be doubled)
Fresh herbs for garnishing (I used rosemary sprigs)
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 7/425’F/220’C. Toss the tomatoes with the dressing & arrange skin side down in a non-stick roasting pan lined with baking paper. Toss the peppers in a little more dressing & add to the tomatoes. Roast for 35 – 45 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Turn the oven down to Gas Mark 6/400’F/200’C.
Sauté the onions in the butter (or olive oil), then turn the heat right down. Cover the onions with greaseproof paper as well as a lid. Cook for 20 – 25 minutes until the onions are soft & mushy. (I didn’t do this, I simply sautéed them on a low heat in an open pan) Season. Leave to cool.
In a heavy based saucepan, melt & caramelise the sugar over high heat, while shaking the pot all the time – do not stir. Add the tablespoon of water (be careful when adding the water as it might spit) to thin the syrup out a little & pour it into a 25 cm/10 inch ovenproof porcelain flan dish. Tilt the dish to coat the bottom & halfway up the sides. Arrange the cooked tomatoes (skin side down) and the peppers to cover the base of the dish in a pretty pattern. Spoon the onions over the top & smooth.
Cover the top of the pie with shortcrust pastry, making sure it is properly sealed. Trim pastry level with the edge of the dish. Bake at Gas Mark 6/400’F/200’C for 25 – 30 minutes until the pastry is crisp & golden brown. Remove from the oven & leave to stand for about 10 minutes. Turn a large round plate upside down on top of the flan dish & invert the pie on the plate. Garnish with fresh herbs, such as basil.
Serves 6 – 8
Shortcrust Pastry (you need to double this recipe as I found this amount was just not enough to cover the tart with)
1 cup (120 gm/4.5 oz) Flour
½ tsp (2.5 ml/pinch) Salt
4 T (60 gm/2 oz) butter, at fridge temperature
1 Egg Yolk
2 T (30 ml/1 fl oz) cold Water
Sift the flour & salt twice & rub in the butter to form coarse crumbs. Mix the egg yolk with cold water & add to the flour. Cut the liquid in with a small knife to form a lumpy mixture. Use your hands to gather & knead the mixture together until it forms a ball. Don’t add more water, simply keep working the dough lightly. Wrap the dough in plastic film & leave to rest in the fridge (in cooler weather, it is best to leave out of the fridge, as it can become to hard & brittle). Roll out to 1 cm/1/2 inch thickness. Fold into thirds & roll out again to 2 mm/1/4 inch thickness on a well-floured surface, using a floured rolling pin. (This preliminary rolling makes the dough much easier to handle).
I also like this recipe because nearly all the ingredients in it, are basic things which you usually have in your kitchen – it’s a great recipe for me, living so far away from the shops, if I suddenly hear that we have guests on the way & I need to make something nice to serve and have low food stocks ! It’s also great for vegetarians.
I have adapted the recipe slightly, and have added notes in where I have done so. (Have also adjusted the measurements for overseas readers !) I also think it might be rather nice with feta cheese crumbled over the top just before serving ….
Never mind the slightly fancy name - my 5 year old daughter simply calls this ‘Tomato Cake’ !
Upside Down Caramelised Tomato and Onion Tart (from ‘The Good Food Cookbook’ by Ina Paarman)
6 – 8 ripe red tomatoes, cut into quarters
Herb salad dressing (I used olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper & dried basil instead)
2 Red Peppers, seeded & cut into eighths (I left these out as I did not have any)
5 medium-sized Onions, sliced into half circles
3 T (45 ml/1.5 fl oz) Butter or Olive Oil
Garlic & Herb Seasoning (I used salt & freshly ground black pepper)
¾ cup (150 gm/5 oz) Sugar (I used brown sugar)
1 T (15 ml/1/2 fl oz) Water
Shortcrust Pastry (see recipe below – which needs to be doubled)
Fresh herbs for garnishing (I used rosemary sprigs)
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 7/425’F/220’C. Toss the tomatoes with the dressing & arrange skin side down in a non-stick roasting pan lined with baking paper. Toss the peppers in a little more dressing & add to the tomatoes. Roast for 35 – 45 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Turn the oven down to Gas Mark 6/400’F/200’C.
Sauté the onions in the butter (or olive oil), then turn the heat right down. Cover the onions with greaseproof paper as well as a lid. Cook for 20 – 25 minutes until the onions are soft & mushy. (I didn’t do this, I simply sautéed them on a low heat in an open pan) Season. Leave to cool.
In a heavy based saucepan, melt & caramelise the sugar over high heat, while shaking the pot all the time – do not stir. Add the tablespoon of water (be careful when adding the water as it might spit) to thin the syrup out a little & pour it into a 25 cm/10 inch ovenproof porcelain flan dish. Tilt the dish to coat the bottom & halfway up the sides. Arrange the cooked tomatoes (skin side down) and the peppers to cover the base of the dish in a pretty pattern. Spoon the onions over the top & smooth.
Cover the top of the pie with shortcrust pastry, making sure it is properly sealed. Trim pastry level with the edge of the dish. Bake at Gas Mark 6/400’F/200’C for 25 – 30 minutes until the pastry is crisp & golden brown. Remove from the oven & leave to stand for about 10 minutes. Turn a large round plate upside down on top of the flan dish & invert the pie on the plate. Garnish with fresh herbs, such as basil.
Serves 6 – 8
Shortcrust Pastry (you need to double this recipe as I found this amount was just not enough to cover the tart with)
1 cup (120 gm/4.5 oz) Flour
½ tsp (2.5 ml/pinch) Salt
4 T (60 gm/2 oz) butter, at fridge temperature
1 Egg Yolk
2 T (30 ml/1 fl oz) cold Water
Sift the flour & salt twice & rub in the butter to form coarse crumbs. Mix the egg yolk with cold water & add to the flour. Cut the liquid in with a small knife to form a lumpy mixture. Use your hands to gather & knead the mixture together until it forms a ball. Don’t add more water, simply keep working the dough lightly. Wrap the dough in plastic film & leave to rest in the fridge (in cooler weather, it is best to leave out of the fridge, as it can become to hard & brittle). Roll out to 1 cm/1/2 inch thickness. Fold into thirds & roll out again to 2 mm/1/4 inch thickness on a well-floured surface, using a floured rolling pin. (This preliminary rolling makes the dough much easier to handle).
