Caxton magazines staff“Freshness and flavours, both robust and subtle, are the key to making good food that’s sure to tantalise both the eye and the palate,” says caterer and cookery teacher Susie Vincent ([email protected])
INGREDIENTS
- 8–10 very ripe Italian tomatoes, halved
- 2 red peppers, seeded and cut into eighths
- rosemary, chopped
- oregano, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4T olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 2t brown sugar
- 1T balsamic vinegar
- 4 red onions, sliced in half circles
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1T water
- 500g prepared puff pastry
- 1 egg beaten with 1t water
- basil, finely shredded, to garnish
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease the bottom of a roasting tin with a little olive oil.
2. In a large bowl toss the tomatoes and peppers with the herbs, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper and a little brown sugar and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar. Place the tomatoes and peppers in the roasting tin skin side down and roast for 20–25 minutes until nicely browned.
3. Sauté the onions and simmer with the lid on for 20 minutes over low heat or until they become like soft marmalade. Season and leave to cool.
4. In a heavy-based saucepan melt and caramelise the white sugar. Shake the pot, don’t stir; rather poke the mixture gently with a wooden spoon, if required. Add 1T of water to thin the syrup slightly (be careful, it will spit) and pour it into a ceramic flan dish. Tilt the dish to coat the bottom and slightly up the sides.
5. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C. Arrange the cooked tomatoes and the peppers skin side down in a pretty pattern to cover the base of the dish. Spoon the onions over the top and smooth.
6. Roll out the puff pastry. Brush edge of the dish with egg wash. Cut a lid out of the pastry. Prick the
pastry with a fork and lay it over the tart to cover. Trim the pastry to hang slightly over the edge of the dish. Crimp to seal well. Brush the pastry lid with the egg wash.
7. Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 10–15 minutes.
8. Turn a large round plate upside down over the flan dish and invert the tart onto the plate. Garnish with the finely shredded basil.
This recipe serves 8.
