Cherry tomato tarte tatin

An upside-down savory tart: cherry tomatoes caramelized under a mustard-brushed sheet of puff pastry.

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Wash the cherry tomatoes, pat them dry, and cut them in half. Spread them cut side up on a lined baking tray, drizzle with a little olive oil, and roast for about 15 minutes, until slightly shrivelled. Do not salt them yet.
2. In a 24 cm ovenproof pan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat until it bubbles and turns amber, 2–3 minutes.
3. Take the pan off the heat and pack the tomatoes into the caramel cut side down, tightly, with the sliced garlic tucked in between. Return to the heat for 2 minutes, then pour off any liquid that has collected.
4. Unroll the puff pastry and spread it with the mustard. Lay it mustard side down over the tomatoes, tucking the edges down well inside the pan, and prick it all over with a fork.
5. Bake for about 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is golden and crisp.
6. Let the tart rest for about 10 minutes so the caramel sets. Holding the pastry in place with a plate, tip off any excess juices, then flip the tart onto the plate. Nudge any tomatoes back into place, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and finish with torn basil and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

• Works as an aperitivo with friends or as an unusual side dish.
• Watery tomatoes are the main risk: salting them early, skipping the pre-roast, or baking on parchment leaves the tomatoes swimming in juice and unstuck from the pastry. The stovetop caramel is what glues them to the pastry.