Tomato Tarte Tatin with Anchovy Mayonnaise
Marge Perry & David Bonom

Tomato Tarte Tatin with Anchovy Mayonnaise

While we usually think of tarte tatin as a sweet skillet-roasted dessert, this wonderfully savory version was inspired by late summer tomatoes. The tomatoes are cooked in an intriguing sherry vinegar-based caramel, topped with a classic piecrust dough, (puff pastry makes a great stand in) and baked until the tomatoes burst with flavor and the crust turns golden. The tart is then inverted on to a platter and served with a dollop of umami-rich creamy anchovy mayonnaise.

While we usually think of tarte tatin as a sweet skillet-roasted dessert, this wonderfully savory version was inspired by late summer tomatoes. The tomatoes are cooked in an intriguing sherry vinegar-based caramel, topped with a classic piecrust dough, (puff pastry makes a great stand in) and baked until the tomatoes burst with flavor and the crust turns golden. The tart is then inverted on to a platter and served with a dollop of umami-rich creamy anchovy mayonnaise.

Ingredients

Crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled

3 1/2-4 tablespoons cold water

Filling:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium Vidalia or other sweet onion, chopped, about 1 cup

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

4 teaspoons sherry vinegar

4 1/2 cups assorted color cherry tomatoes

Mayo:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 oil packed anchovy fillets, drained and mashed into a paste

1/2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest

Directions

  1. For the crust, combine the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. With a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut the butter and shortening into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the water 1 tablespoon at a time until a dough begins to form. Knead the dough several times to bring it together. Shape into a 4-inch disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
  2. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  3. For the filling, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add the onion, thyme and salt
  4. Return the skillet to the stove over medium heat and add the sugar, 1/4 cup water, and vinegar. Swirl the pan until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until golden, about 5-6 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the onion mixture and tomatoes until well combined.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the crust into a 12-inch circle. Place the crust over the tomato mixture, tucking the edges of the dough between the tomatoes and the side of the skillet. Prick the dough several times with the tines of a fork or the tip of a knife.
  6. Bake the tart until the crust is nicely browned, 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes. Place a rimmed serving platter that is larger than the skillet over the top of the pan. Carefully and quickly flip the skillet and platter over to allow the tart and any liquid in the pan to fall onto the platter. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.
  7. Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise, mashed anchovies and lemon zest in a small bowl. Serve each tart wedge with a dollop of the mayonnaise.
Tags:Author_name:Marge Perry & David Bonom, Everyday, Fruit, Frying Pan, Lunch, Skillet, Summer