caramelized tomato tarte tatin

I have spent the last three days in the well baby nursery on my first rotation of third year. For the remainder of this pediatrics rotation, I will spend time with sick kids, each of whom will probably break my heart a little daily, but for now (perhaps as a sort of booster to carry me forward) I have been graced with a few days with fresh-out-the-womb newborns. They sleep for the most part, all perfectly compact and swaddled, with no idea of what this life holds for them. Other than practicing my newborn exam and occasionally trying to make them quit squawking like baby dinosaurs, I am free to just stare into their perfect little faces and feel awe when they struggle to open their squinty eyes. I consider it so strange and wonderful that these tiny humans have sufficient life packed into them in order to one day grow up as big as me. They will be capable of love, of hurt, of controlling their own courses and yet right now they cannot even hold their heads up (nor do they even seem that concerned with trying).

I am exhausted, but I am betting those new mothers are exponentially more so. I guess I shouldn’t complain quite yet.  

Caramelized Tomato Tarte Tatin

Puff pastry 

2 tbs olive oil

3 red onions

¼ cup plus a pinch of sugar

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

cherry or grape tomatoes (about 1 lb or enough to cover the bottom of your skillet)

1 tbs chopped fresh thyme

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Defrost the puff pastry for 20-30 minutes on the counter before you begin preparing this tarte (unfold it and lay it flat so that it does not stick together).

Slice onions into very thin rings. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions with a pinch of sugar and salt, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized (may take about 15-20 minutes). Remove from heat and set onions to the side.

In a clean skillet, prepare the caramel: combine ¼ cup sugar and 3 tbs of water. Cook over medium heat, ONLY swirling NOT stirring, the pan gently until the sugar starts to turn a golden brown. Remove it from the heat at this point to avoid burning. Add the balsamic and continue swirling until mixed well (don’t breathe in these fumes too much!).

Scatter the tomatoes onto the caramel, then sprinkle with the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper.

Roll out the pull pastry dough with a rolling pin (and a little sprinkle of flour) until it is roughly 1 inch larger than your pan. Lay it over the tomato/onion/caramel and tuck in the edges around the tomatoes. Cut several vents into the top of the puff pastry.

Bake the tart for about 30 minutes until the crust is puffed and golden brown. Remove the tart from the oven and let stand for about 30 minutes to allow the juices to set. Run a knife around the edges of the pastry to loosen it form the pan. Place a platter or cutting board on top of the pan and carefully flip it over (invert the tart). Cut into wedges and serve with a garnish of thyme. Serves 6-8 as an appetizer or side.

*Adapted from http://koshercamembert.wordpress.com