Tomato Tarte Tatin Puff Pastry

The Tarte Tatin, named after the Tatin sisters who invented it and served it in their hotel as its signature dish, is a pastry in which the fruit (usually apples) is caramelized in butter and sugar before the tart is baked. It originated in France but has spread to other countries over the years.

 

The tarte Tatin was created accidentally at the Hôtel Tatin in Lamotte-Beuvron, Loir-et-Cher, 169 km (105 mi) south of Paris, in the 1880s. The hotel was run by two sisters, Stéphanie and Caroline Tatin.

 

There are conflicting stories concerning the tart’s origin, but the most common is that Stéphanie Tatin, who did most of the cooking, was overworked one day. She started to make a traditional apple pie but left the apples cooking in butter and sugar for too long. Smelling the burning, she tried to rescue the dish by putting the pastry base on top of the pan of apples, and quickly finishing the cooking by putting the whole pan in the oven. After turning out the upside-down tart, she was surprised to find how much the hotel guests appreciated the dessert. In an alternative version of the tart’s origin, Stéphanie baked a caramelized apple tart upside-down by mistake: regardless, she served her guests the unusual dish. Whatever the veracity of either story, the concept of the upside-down tart was not a new one. The tarte became a signature dish of the Hôtel.

 

I’ve never made a classic Tarte Tatin before. 

I decided to follow my intuition, per the usual, and bake what I approximated to be a similar version of a Tatin, only with a savory flair. 

 

Sure, the San Marzano tomato topping (or inverted base) includes a hefty dose of caramelization with its own earthy, charming, and stellar notes of canned, whole, and utterly flawlessness. Their discarded liquid is cooked with butter and sugar and a pinch of salt, poured over their gorgeous, bulbous forms that line a cake pan, topped with an eggy, peppery, ricotta filling, and then baked with a puff pastry round. 

 

With just a hint of additional caramelized tomato liquid, the Tatin is baked it for about 45 minutes until puffy and golden, then inverted onto a serving plate and garnished with fresh and aromatic rosemary: Tomato Tarte Tatin Puff Pastry.

Tomato Tarte Tatin Puff Pastry 

1 32oz. can San Marzano tomatoes, whole and peeled (drained with juice reserved)
1/4 cup sugar
4 Tbs. butter
1 pinch sea salt

16 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
sea salt and pepper

1 frozen sheet puff pastry, thawed

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 

Line a 9″ cake pan with parchment paper.

 

Transfer the drained (juice-reserved) tomatoes to the parchment-lined cake pan, arranging them in a decorative manner.

 

Meanwhile, heat the leftover juices, butter, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan.

 

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, stirring often, and reducing to a thick sauce.

 

Pour the thick sauce, all but 2 Tbs. over the top of the tomatoes in the pan.

 

Whisk together the ricotta, eggs, salt, and pepper and spread over the top of the tomatoes.

 

Form the puff pastry into a round and place over the cheese.

 

Finally, drizzle the remaining 2 Tbs. caramelized tomato reduction over the crust.

 

Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the crust is golden and bubbly.

 

Remove from the oven and cool for a few hours. Chill to fully set.

 

Invert the pan onto a serving plate (releasing the sides with a knife).

 

Top with fresh rosemary.

 

Slice and serve the sweet, savory, earthy delight.