Tomato Tarte Tartin

A week ago, Stephanie McClenny, a/k/a the Cosmic Cowgirl, brought a tomato tarte tartin to a book club potluck at my house. It totally blew my mind; everything I had grown to believe about how tomatoes tasted flew right out the window after my first bite. I've always thought it strange that tomatoes are technically a fruit, but after being caramelized in butter and sugar, they actually taste the way I expect fruit to taste. They're a bit reminiscent of plums, only the flavor is cleaner and less, well, plummy.

Thankfully, Stephanie was willing to share the recipe, which originally appeared in bon appétit. After reading it, I was intimidated and not at all confident in my ability to pull it off; after all, Stephanie is a cooking/baking/canning/preserving rock star, and by comparison, I'm pretty much a garage band. But I could not stop thinking about how delicious it was, so I decided to risk it for a brunch I was attending this weekend at the home of our friends/neighbors, Diana and Don. Although I don't think mine turned out quite as well as Stephanie's (I think I cooked the tomato brew a smidge too long, and the caramel was pretty sticky), I thought it was still damn tasty.

Getting the tomatoes going


Right before I pulled them off the heat. I'd probably pull them a little earlier next time.

I neglected to take photos of the process of placing the crust, but it was a lot easier than it sounds. I was not very precise about placing it and it folded over on itself a bit, but it shrank up while baking, so was not at all difficult to get out of the pan. Also, I panicked a little when I first took it out, because it appeared that the pastry was way too puffed up, but it settled down nicely after it was flipped.


The finished product, up close and personal.





Best sliced with a pizza cutter. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream (trust me on this one).