This Sweet Tomato & Fennel Tarte Tatin features Pure Flavor® Cloud 9® Bite-Sized Fruity Tomatoes for an absolutely delicious surprisingly simple dish that is sure to impress.
What is a Tarte Tatin?
Tarte Tatin is a traditional French recipe in which fruit (usually apples) is caramelized in sugar and butter before being topped with pastry and baked. While it is typically seen as a dessert, I’ve given it a fun twist by utilizing super sweet Cloud 9® Tomatoes and earthy fennel to create a sweetly savory recipe you will love.
Why Choose Cloud 9®?
There are lot of red grape tomatoes to choose from, but there’s only one Cloud 9®. It’s truly a unique variety. The Cloud 9® experience begins with a burst of fruity flavor that surges in sweetness with every bite, a testament to Pure Flavor’s devoted team of growers and their passion for excellence. Every single tomato has been hand-selected and carefully evaluated to ensure it meets the highest standard.
Equipment
You will need a 10 inch oven safe skillet (such as this one from All-Clad) to bake the tarte tatin in. You will also need one additional skillet, cutting board and sharp knife.
Ingredients for this Sweet Tomato & Fennel Tarte Tatin:
- Pure Flavor® Cloud 9® Bite-Sized Fruity Tomatoes
- Fennel – Fennel is a crunchy, aromatic vegetable with a slightly anise flavor that is popular in Mediterran cooking and quickjly gaining popularity around the world.
- Red Onion
- Fresh Thyme
- Butter
- Balsamic Vinegar – Quality does matter with balsamic vinegar. The richer and sweeter the vinegar, the richer and sweet the dish.
- Sugar
- Puff Pastry – I typically use one sheet of Pepperidge Farm puff pastry. If you take it out of the freezer about the time that you began cooking the fennel and onions it will be nice and pliable by the time you want to put the tart in the oven. Just be sure not to leave it out at room temperature for more than 45-50 minutes.
- The Basics: Olive oil, salt & pepper
Tips & Tricks for a Perfect Sweet Tomato & Fennel Tarte Tatin
Cook Out the Liquid
One of the key tricks for a perfect Sweet Tomato & Fennel Tarte Tatin is to cook off as much liquid as possible from the fennel and onion. Don’t remove them from the pan until absolutely all the added water has been evaporate and make sure to transfer them to a paper towel lined plate. Then dab a few more times with a paper towel on top for good measure.
Making the Caramel
Caramel can seem like an intimidating thing to make but it’s essentially a combination of butter and sugar cooked down to a golden brown syrup. I’ve added Balsamic vinegar to give a savory edge that really compliments the tomatoes. You will simply combine the butter, vinegar and sugar and cook until it comes to a simmer. Simmer for about 4-5 minutes until it darkens and becomes thick, but not stodgy. Be sure to stir constantly once it hits the bubbling stage so as not to burn.
Remember that Skillet is HOT
I cannot tell you how many times I have taken a skillet out of the oven and mere minutes after setting it down grabbed the piping hot handle with my bare hand. (And yes, that did happen today as well! Eek.) So please, remember that handle has just cooked at 425 degrees for half an hour. Don’t touch it ! 🙂
Sweet Tomato & Fennel Tarte Tatin
This Sweet Tomato & Fennel Tarte Tartin features Pure Flavor® Cloud 9® Bite-Sized Fruity Tomatoes for an absolutely delicious surprisingly simple dish that is sure to impress.
4
servings5
minutes50
minutes5
minutes1
hourIngredients
1 fennel bulb, washed, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 pint Pure Flavor® Cloud 9® Bite-Sized Fruity Tomatoes, halved lengthwise
3-4 sprigs of thyme
1/2 lb sheet of puff pastry, trimmed into a circle
salt & pepper
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. If using frozen puff pastry, follow package instructions to thaw to a pliable state.
- Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until hot and shimmering. Add in sliced fennel and red onion. Cook on medium high for around 10 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp of sugar. Cook for another 5 minutes then add 2 tbsp of water. Cook for another 3-5 minutes, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan until all of the water has been evaporated. Transfer cooked veggies to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
- In a separate, oven safe skillet combine 1/4th cup butter with 1/4th cup balsamic vinegar. Heat over medium high until the butter has melted then add 1/4th cup sugar. Stir to incorporate.
Bring mixture to a strong simmer and add 1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme. Continue to cook for 4-5 minutes until a caramel has formed, stirring constantly to avoid burning. - Once you’ve reached a caramel texture, remove the pan from the heat. Carefully arrange Cloud 9® Bite Size Fruit Tomatoes cut side up in a circular pattern until the bottom of the pan has been covered. Season the tomatoes with a pinch of salt & pepper and sprinkle on a few thyme leaves.
Gently spread the cooked onions and fennel on top of the tomatoes to cover. Then lay the puff pastry over the filling, carefully tucking sides into the pan. - Bake at 425 degrees F for around 30 minutes until the puff pastry is a deep golden brown and cooked through.
Carefully remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for approximately 5 minutes. Use a butter knife to gently release to sides of the pastry from the pan. Place your serving plate on top of the pan and gently and carefully turn the tart out onto the serving plate. If any tomatoes have come off or remain in the pain simply place them back on the tart.
Top with a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves and enjoy!
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I’m looking forward to trying this.
Those tomatoes are making me drool!