Sweet vine tomatoes star in this colourful tart, layered with caramelised onions, fresh herbs and a kick of chilli
Diana Henry The Telegraph's award-winning cookery writer
Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.
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You can change the character of this tart by using other herbs and a different cheese, so hold on to the recipe. Basil and Parmesan are good, or thyme and cheddar. Feta with coriander, chilli and slivers of preserved lemon is also very nice. Don’t skip heating the baking sheet. If you put the tart in the oven on a cold sheet, the pastry won’t cook through properly.
Overview
Prep time
20 mins
Cook time
2 hrs
Serves
4
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 10g unsalted butter
- 2 onions (about 400g), finely sliced
- 355g puff pastry
- 800g vine tomatoes
- 150g mascarpone
- 1 garlic clove, grated to a purée
- 1 red chilli, halved, deseeded and chopped
- 10g parsley, chopped
- 10g mint, chopped
- 70g feta, crumbled
Method
Step
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and 10g unsalted butter in a heavy-bottomed pan and add 2 finely sliced onions (about 400g).
Step
Cook over a medium-low heat until the onions are colouring and have softened a bit – about 12-15 minutes.
Step
Turn the heat down, season the onions, add about 50ml water and cover the pan.
Step
Cook these until they are completely soft, making sure that the onions remain moist enough. This will take about 45 minutes.
Step
When they’re soft, remove the lid, turn the heat up and cook the onions until the excess moisture has been driven off (‘wet’ onions will make the tart pastry soggy). Let the onions cool completely.
Step
Roll 355g puff pastry out on a piece of baking parchment. It should be a circle 30cm across (use a plate or a saucepan lid as a guide).
Step
Cut off the excess pastry and with the tip of a knife, mark a 2cm border around the edge. Put the pastry, on its paper, in the fridge for 40 minutes while the onions are cooling.
Step
Place a large baking sheet on the lowest rack of the oven and preheat it to 200C/190C fan/gas mark 6.
Step
Cut 800g vine tomatoes into slices about 3mm thick, discarding the end that has the core in it. The slices from the other end you can keep for a sandwich or soup.
Step
Set the slices on a double layer of kitchen paper – this will absorb some of the moisture coming out of them.
Step
Mix 150g mascarpone with 1 grated garlic clove, 1 chopped red chilli (deseeded), 10g chopped parsley, 10g chopped mint and 70g crumbled feta.
Step
Take the pastry out of the fridge. Spread the flavoured mascarpone on to the pastry, leaving a 2cm border all the way around, then spoon the onions on top.
Step
Next, add the tomato slices. Starting at the edges of the mascarpone, lay overlapping slices in concentric circles. Keep going until the tart is covered.
Step
Put a single slice of tomato in the middle.
Step
Slide the tart and paper on to the hot oven tray and bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 160C/150C fan/gas mark 3 and cook for another 15-20 minutes. The tomatoes should be slightly caramelised in patches. If the pastry is getting too dark, put some foil round the edges.
Step
When the tart is ready, leave it to cool for about 20 minutes, then serve.