Ratatouille Tarte Tatin with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Ingredients

• 10 Small Roma tomatoes (Use 2 tomatoes for roasting and reserve 8 for slicing; choose tomatoes with similar diameters to the other vegetables.)
• 3 Small Japanese eggplant (Slice into consistent 3–4 mm discs.)
• 2 Small yellow zucchini (Slice into consistent 3–4 mm discs.)
• 2 Small green zucchini (Slice into consistent 3–4 mm discs.)
• 2 Long bell peppers (Remove stems and seeds; roast for the sauce.)
• 1 Large shallot (Peel and halve before roasting.)
• 1 Small head garlic (Cut in half width-wise; roast wrapped in foil. Use the roasted cloves in the sauce.)
• 1 bunch Fresh basil (Use about three-quarters to infuse the oil and reserve the remainder for topping.)
• 1 tbsp Red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp Olive oil (Use for roasting, seasoning the garlic, and infusing the cast-iron pan; additional light coating may be needed for the roasting tray.)
• 1 Egg (Beat with a couple of drops of milk or water to make the egg wash.)
• 1 sheet Frozen puff pastry (Thaw according to package directions and cut to fit the baking dish.)
• Fine salt (To taste, including for seasoning the roasting vegetables and sliced zucchini and eggplant.)
• Freshly cracked black pepper (To taste.)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Lightly coat a roasting tray with olive oil. Cut two of the tomatoes in half. Remove the stems and seeds from the bell peppers, and peel and halve the shallot. Arrange the tomatoes, peppers, and shallot skin-side up on the tray. Season lightly with salt.

2. 2

   Place one half of the garlic head on foil. Season it with a little olive oil and salt, then wrap it tightly in the foil. Add the wrapped garlic to the roasting tray.

3. 3

   Roast the vegetables for 10 minutes. Switch the oven to high broil and broil for 1–2 minutes, or until the pepper skin is blistered.

4. 4

   Remove the tray from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Wrap the tray of vegetables tightly with foil so the trapped steam loosens the pepper skins.

5. 5

   Return the foil-wrapped garlic to the oven and roast for another 10–15 minutes, until the cloves are soft and easily squeezed from their skins.

6. 6

   When the garlic is tender, remove the blistered skins from the peppers and roasted tomatoes. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins.

7. 7

   Add the roasted peppers, roasted tomatoes, shallot, roasted garlic, the olive oil from roasting, red wine vinegar, and salt to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, with the consistency of a pasta sauce. Taste and adjust the salt, then set the sauce aside.

8. 8

   Slice the remaining tomatoes, all of the zucchini, and the eggplant into consistent 3–4 mm discs. For the best appearance, use vegetables with similar diameters so the slices will fit together evenly.

9. 9

   Arrange the zucchini and eggplant slices on a large tray lined with a wire rack. Sprinkle the cut surfaces with salt. Let them stand for 5 minutes, then dab away the released moisture with paper towels.

10. 10

    Turn the slices over and season the other sides with salt. Let them stand for another 10–20 minutes, then dab them thoroughly with paper towels. Removing this moisture helps prevent excess liquid in the tart and makes the zucchini and eggplant more pliable for arranging.

11. 11

    Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a cast-iron pan over low heat. Add about three-quarters of the basil and warm gently to infuse the oil. Remove the basil from the pan and let the pan cool down before assembling.

12. 12

    Arrange the sliced vegetables in an alternating spiral pattern across the entire surface of the cast-iron pan. Leave approximately 1 cm of space around the edge so the pastry can be tucked in.

13. 13

    Cut the puff pastry into a round or shape matching the baking dish. Lay it over the arranged vegetables and tuck the edges into the 1 cm perimeter. Poke several holes in the pastry with a fork.

14. 14

    Beat the egg with a couple of drops of milk or water. Brush the puff pastry evenly with the egg wash.

15. 15

    Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 20–25 minutes, until the pastry is deeply golden brown and crisp.

16. 16

    Let the pan rest for 5–10 minutes. Place a large plate, or preferably a wire rack for faster cooling, over the pan and carefully invert the tart onto it.

17. 17

    Serve the tarte tatin warm with a generous spoonful of the roasted vegetable sauce. Finish with the reserved fresh basil and serve immediately.

Notes

Use caution when broiling and inverting the hot cast-iron pan. The vegetables should be sliced to a consistent thickness for an even, attractive spiral. The author recommends serving the sauce separately rather than baking it into the tart so it stays creamy and vibrant.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegetarian
• French
• baked
• savory tart
• seasonal
• puff pastry
• comfort food