This vegan tomato tarte tatin with olives and basil is a savory version of the classic tarte tatin with apple. The tomatoes, olives and onion give your tarte tatin a nice savory kick, the balsamic vinegar and sugar give it that little bit of sweetness that goes so well with a tarte tatin. Just add a nice fresh salad and you’re done. Most chilled puff pastry is vegan, even if it is not clearly stated on the packet, but check the list of ingredients just to be sure. If you don’t eat vegan, you can sprinkle some blue cheese over the tarte tatin after baking, but you don’t really need it. The recipe comes from my (Dutch) book Dosia Bakt Vegan, where you will find more than 100 sweet and savory baking recipes. You can buy the book online or order it from me via Dosia Bakt Vegan , then I will sign it for you too!
Vegan tomato tarte tatin
Main course (serves 4)
750 g / 26 oz sweet tomatoes on the vine
2 tbsp olive oil + extra for drizzling
2 large onions, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1⁄2 tbsp sugar
50 g / 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted
1 bunch of basil
leaves of 2 sprigs of thyme + extra to decorate:
1 pack of chilled vegan puff pastry
Preheat the oven to 180 °C / 365 °F. Cut the stems of the tomatoes so that you get groups of 3-4 tomatoes together. Place the tomatoes with the stems still attached on a baking tray, drizzle with 1⁄2 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 1⁄2 tablespoon of oil in an oven-safe frying pan and fry the onions over low heat for about 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and fry for about 2 minutes while stirring. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and let it boil for a few minutes so it slightly caramelizes. Tip into a bowl and and clean the pan thoroughly. Take the tomatoes out of the oven and heat the oven to 200 °C/ 400 °F. Let the tomatoes stand for about 5 minutes so that they cool slightly. In the meantime, cut half the basil and thyme leaves into small pieces.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the frying pan, sprinkle in the sugar and let it melt. Remove from the heat and place the tomatoes in the pan stem side down. Leave some space on the sides of the pan so that the moisture they release during baking can evaporate. Sprinkle the olives over the tomatoes and tuck them in where there is space between the tomatoes. Divide the onion mixture and the chopped basil and thyme over the tomatoes.
Roll out the puff pastry and cut out a circle of approx. 24 cm / 9 1/2 inches (for example using a large plate). You can stretch the dough a bit, so it does not matter if it is a little too small. Place the dough over the tomatoes and tuck in a little on the sides. Leave some space around the edge of the pan to allow excess moisture to evaporate. Cut a few steam holes in the dough and bake in the middle of the oven for about 25 minutes until brown and crispy.
Take the vegan tomato tarte tatin out of the oven (watch out, the pan handle is piping hot!) and drain off as much moisture as possible. Gently push on the dough and turn so that stuck tomatoes loosen. Place a large plate upside down on the pan and carefully turn the tarte tatin over on the plate. Hot liquid may still leak out. Decorate the tarte tatin with the extra basil and thyme and put on the table immediately.
Photography: Eric van Lokven, Styling Cyn Ferdinandus
