Tomato and sweet onion tart
with anchovies
This homemade tart is a great dish for the festive season. It’s very easy to make, and you don’t need to worry about how it looks – everyone will love it!
Makes 1 tart
For the pastry,
Flour, 2 cups
Salt, 1 tsp
Chilled butter, 150g cubed
Ice water, 1/3 cup
For the tart,
Onions, 2 large
Butter, 2 tbsp
Tomatoes, 6 large or 4 punnets cherry
Thyme, small bunch
Garlic, 5 cloves
Olive oil, 4 tbsp
Salt, big pinch
Anchovies, 8
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and squish it through your fingertips until there are no pieces bigger than a pea. Add ice water and quickly work the dough with your hands into a shaggy ball. If the dough doesn’t hold together or looks dry, add a little more ice water. Cling film the bowl and refrigerate for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 160C with a fan or 180C without.
Chop large tomatoes into wedges and small tomatoes in half. Place them in a large roasting pan lined with baking paper. You can use any tomatoes, and if they’re not in season, canned ones will work, but strain the liquid from the cans first. Add thyme, garlic cloves (with their skin on), drizzle with olive oil, and generously season with salt.
Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes until the tomatoes begin to char, collapse, and become sticky.
While the tomatoes are roasting, slice onions into thin wedges. In a large pan, heat olive oil, butter, and a pinch of salt over low heat for about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning, but don’t increase the heat.
When ready to make the tart, remove the pastry from the fridge and roll it out on a well-floured bench until about 5mm thick and in a rough circle shape. Spread the jammy onions on top and squeeze the garlic from its skin. Top with the tomatoes.
If you want to eat the tart later, refrigerate it for an hour or two. If you want to eat it immediately, heat the oven to 180C and bake for about 30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
Once removed from the onion, slice the tart and serve with a simple green salad. You can add anchovies on top, but it’s easier to do this after slicing.
Note:
Stracciatella cheese would also be a great on top, but remember to add it after the tart has come out of the oven.
