Cherry Tomato Tarte Tatin

We are very used to seeing sweet tarte tatins (apple, peach, pear...), but there are savory tatin recipes that you'll love! Like this one with cherry tomatoes and cheese brought to us by Leti, author of Revelando Sabores. Don’t forget to make it because it will solve a dinner and leave you wanting more!

BRUTAL! How refined I am sometimes, huh? But I can’t think of another word that defines this savory tart better. Well, I can think of others: delicious, super flavorful, incredible… But really, I think the first definition already makes clear what people at home think of this tart, right?

I'm sure you all know tatin tarts, a type of tart baked with the pastry covering the filling and then flipped when serving. And I'm sure you know the traditional apple tatin, pear tatin and many other sweet fillings, each more delicious than the last.

Well, tarte tatin with savory fillings is the bomb! And the cherry tomato one I’m sharing today couldn’t delight me more!! The contrast of the shortcrust pastry, with the delicate texture and the sweet-and-sour flavor of the tomatoes, plus the freshness that fresh basil and mozzarella add, create an incredible Set. At home, it’s up there with pizza—say no more!

One of the secrets to get it perfect is that the pastry we use is homemade. There's no comparison between a homemade shortcrust pastry and an industrial one, no matter how good the latter is. Plus it’s made in no time! I make it in my Kitchen Aid and I promise I spend more time deciding to make it than actually making it.

I make tatin tarts in my tarta Tatin de Emile Henry mold, which is not only beautiful but also very practical, since it has two parts: the mold itself, which we can put on the stove to prepare the filling and directly into the oven to bake the tart, and a plate to present the tart so it looks gorgeous on our table.

So, are you ready to discover this recipe with me?

Pallarès carbon steel knife, Microplane premium Zester grater and Emile Henry tatin tart mold.

Ingredients

For the pastry:

• 225gr flour
• 25gr grated Parmesan cheese
• 150gr cold butter
• 2 pinches of salt
• 1 medium egg
• 2 tablespoons very cold water

For the filling:

• Approximately 700gr cherry tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh basil
• 1 ball of fresh mozzarella or burrata

Preparation

1. We begin by preparing the shortcrust pastry.
2. In a bowl we sift the flour and mix it with the salt.
3. Next we add the butter, cold and cut into pieces, and mix by rubbing with our fingers, without kneading, until we obtain a sandy texture.
4. Next we add the grated Parmesan (if it isn’t grated we’ll grate it ourselves using a grater like the Microplane).
5. We add the egg and one tablespoon of water, and work the dough as little as possible, just until the crumbs come together and form a ball. If the dough is too dry we add the other tablespoon of water, but only if necessary.
6. If we use the Kitchen Aid, we attach the paddle and at speed 2 mix the flour, butter and salt only for the time needed to obtain a sandy texture. We add the grated Parmesan. Then we add the egg and one tablespoon of water, and work the dough as little as possible, just until the crumbs come together and form a ball, adding the remaining water if necessary.
7. Using a rolling pin, we roll the dough out to obtain a sheet about 3 cm thick approximately, and with a diameter slightly larger than that of the mold.
8. We wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes.
9. While the dough rests, we prepare the confit tomatoes.
10. For this we put our Emile Henry mold over low heat with the tablespoon of honey and heat for a few minutes until we obtain a thick texture.
11. We add the sugar and let it dissolve until it forms a caramel, never stirring with a spoon, because if you do the caramel will crystallize.
12. We add the vinegar and, one minute later, the little tomatoes.
13. We let them cook for just a minute, just enough for them to be well coated with caramel, and remove from the heat.
14. We season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and sprinkle with breadcrumbs, which will absorb the excess liquid released by the tomatoes.
15. We let them rest for a few minutes while the dough finishes resting.
16. Preheat the oven to 200º.
17. When the dough’s resting time is over, we take it out of the fridge and remove the plastic wrap.
18. We spread the dough over the tomatoes already in the mold, making sure they are well covered and tucking the dough well between the tomatoes and the mold.
19. We prick the dough with a fork and make a cross-shaped cut in the center to let the steam escape so the dough doesn't soften.
20. We bake for 25-30 minutes, until the dough is golden and the caramel peeks out from the edges of the mold.
21. We remove the tart from the oven and run the tip of a knife around the dough to detach any areas that may have stuck to the mold.
22. We let it cool for 10 minutes so the caramel firms up and ensures better unmolding. We should not let it cool longer because otherwise the caramel will harden too much and make the tart stick to the mold.
23. After 10 minutes, we unmold the tart by turning the mold over onto the plate, as if flipping a potato omelet.
24. We serve sprinkled with fresh basil and with the ball of mozzarella or burrata on the tart.

Pallarès carbon steel knife, Le Creuset ceramic ramekin and Emile Henry tatin tart mold.

Notes

• You'll see I recommend rolling out the shortcrust pastry before resting it in the fridge, contrary to the usual recommendation, but for me it's much more convenient since it requires less effort. In any case you can do it whenever you prefer.
• I like this tart with homemade shortcrust pastry, but if you're in a hurry you can make it with a sheet of store-bought shortcrust pastry or store-bought puff pastry.

KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer, Bérard wooden flour spoon, Pallarès carbon steel knife, Le Creuset ceramic ramekins, Emile Henry tatin tart mold and Eco Vintage Mediterránea glass jug.

See? It was a very easy recipe. I just hope you feel encouraged to make it at home because you're going to succeed, and I think it's a perfect option for dinners with guests as well as for everyday meals. And if the touch of mozzarella doesn't convince you, you can add some shavings of Parmesan, some anchovies… to your taste!!