Ingredients
650g plum tomatoes, halved lengthways
30g butter
1 tbsp (20ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and very finely sliced
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked, extra sprigs to ganish
25g caster sugar
2 tbsp (40ml) sherry vinegar
1 sheet butter puff pastry
1 handful capers or black olives (optional)
Method
1. Melt butter with the oil in a 24cm ovenproof frying pan with heatproof handle over medium heat. Add tomatoes, cut side up, sprinkle with garlic, thyme, sugar and vinegar. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes or until any liquid has evaporated and the vinegar and sugar has caramelised. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 220ºC. Cut the pastry into a circle 1–2 cm wider than the pan and refrigerate. When the tomatoes and pan are cold, place the cold pastry on the top of them, tucking it in well around the edges to enclose the filling completely, and cut a few small vents so the steam can escape while baking.
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden. Rest for 5–10 minutes. Carefully drain off any juices then invert onto a round plate. Serve warm, not hot, with a scattering of capers, a little fresh thyme and any pan juices poured over the top.
Lyndey’s note: Plum or Roma tomatoes are drier, giving off less liquid than other tomatoes. To cool tomatoes and pan quickly, carefully place in a sink with a little water and ice cubes. This arrests the cooking and cools quickly. Or you can do this the day before.
Wine match: Cabernet Franc or Sauvignon Blanc Semillon.