La Tomatina Tarte Tatin

The title of this recipe is inspired by a crazy Spanish tomato throwing festival, and a delicate French tarte. Back in the day we got a gang together and Ryan-aired over to Valencia for La Tomatina, a fantastic celebration of the tomato. This recipe also celebrates the tomato, but in a more tasty and less messy way. To celebrate tomatoes the messy way you start with a “Jamon” and a greasy pole. The celebration can only start once a town hero climbs up a greasy pole and cuts down a giant Spanish ham. As this happens, the crowd and the greasy pole are showered in water from hoses. Once someone is able to chop the ham off the pole, the tomato fight can start. Tip trucks make their entry loaded high with ripe juicy tomatoes. Everyone chucks tomatoes, first at friends and then before long, at complete strangers! It is messy crazy fun and a food fight like no other. To celebrate tomatoes in a tasty way, take a simple French tarte tartin, and make it savoury with delicious tomatoes fresh from the garden. Unfortunately our little patch will only harvest a few more tomatoes thanks to some mildew that has snuck in and killed our tomato and cucumber plants. (*boo*).  Enjoy this delicious tarte while the summer tomatoes last. Serves 4.

Prep time: approx. 20 min. cooking time: about 40 min

Kitchen stuff needed: Sharp knife, chopping board, shallow frying pan, pie dish, baking paper

Ingredients from the garden:

5 x large juicy tomatoes (or a load of cherry tomatoes if that’s what you are growing. Pop them into your clean pie dish whole to figure out how many you need)

1 x large Zucchini sliced into fine planks

Other Ingredients

1 x sheet puff pastry

1 x clove garlic

100gm x Greek feta chopped into 1/2cm pieces.

2 tbsp. x Olive Oil

1 tblespn x butter

2 tblespn balsamic vinegar

S & P to taste

Let’s do it:

1. Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the tomato, cut-side down (if using big tomatoes). Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes or until tender.

2. Chop garlic and lightly sauté with ½ teaspoon of olive oil, add 1 chopped zucchini. Sauté for about 3 minutes until zucchini starts to soften and change colour. Put aside.

3. Preheat oven to 220ºC. Brush a round 20cm cake pan with melted butter. Arrange tomato, cut-side down, over base of pan. Top with zucchini planks followed by feta slices. Top with pastry and fold back the excess.

4. Turn down power to 180 and bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Turn out upside down and flip onto a serving plate.

5. Combine vinegar and oil. Drizzle over tart. Season with salt and pepper. Top with basil.

Enjoy with a large glass of summer chilled Yarra Valley Rose.

Soundtrack for a Tomato celebration: 11:11 by Rodrigo y Gabriela