Tomato tarte tatin

A savoury version of that French classic, made here with colourful cherry tomatoes, Balsamic vinegar and a splash of honey.

This is not as easy as my apple tarte tatin recipe as the tomatoes release a lot of liquid when they're cooked, and if you're not careful, you end up with a soggy tart. (I'm speaking from experience here!) So, the trick is to cook the tomatoes first and drain off the juices.

approx 300g puff pastry (I used a store bought ready-made all butter puff pastry sheet)

about 700g cherry tomatoes (different colours are nice)

50g unsalted butter

2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon of honey

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)

salt and pepper

You will need a tarte tatin dish or a 20cm heavy-based ovenproof frying pan.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC.

The first thing to do is cut a circle out of your puff pastry sheet, slightly larger than the pan, and place it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

Put your tarte tatin dish on the hob on a low heat, melt the butter and add the tomatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes, pressing down as they cook to release the juices. Take the pan off the heat and using a slotted spoon, take the tomatoes out of the tin and put onto a plate.

Now put the pan back on the heat, and add the honey and Balsamic vinegar. Simmer for a couple of minutes which will allow the liquid to reduce slightly and thicken and then remove the pan from the heat.

Allow to cool slightly and then carefully arrange the tomatoes in the tin in one even layer with no gaps. Leave any juices behind on the plate. Sprinkle with the thyme, salt and pepper. You could also use grated parmesan.

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Take the pastry circle out of the fridge and carefully place it on top of the tomatoes, tucking it in all around the edge.

Prick the top of the pastry a few times (to let any steam out) and place it in the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the pastry is crisp and brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the pastry and turning it out onto your serving plate.

The easiest way to do this is to invert your plate on top of the tin and turn the whole thing upside down. Oven gloves recommended as the tin will still be hot.

Garnish with thyme sprigs and serve warm.

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Pesto and Parmesan twists

Sometimes called cheese straws, these are an easy to make snack which are perfect to serve with drinks before dinner. I've made them here with pesto and Parmesan which will give you a milder flavour than my blue cheese puff pastries, but they are just as tasty. You could also simply use a mild or strong grated cheddar.

You will need -

a puff pastry sheet

a jar of Pesto alla Genovese

finely grated parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 220ºC and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Unroll your pastry sheet onto a board, cut it down the middle and spread half of it with a good layer of pesto. Then sprinkle the cheese on top and lay the other half of the pastry over it. Press down firmly at each end.

Using a sharp knife, carefully cut fingers of pastry (about an inch wide) and twist each one four times. Lay onto the baking sheet and pop into the oven for about 15 minutes. Best served freshly made.

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Blue cheese puff pastries

Cheese and pastry are a winning combination especially if it's a light and airy puff pastry. Small bite sized tarts are ideal for a light lunch or snack and you may have already tried my savoury tarts.

So continuing the theme, I found this recipe for Feuilletées in my mother's Cordon Bleu Kitchen Book & Diary and yes, I had to look it up. It's a French term for a small puff pastry case with either a hot or cold savoury filling, and is usually served as finger food. This recipe uses Roquefort, one of the strongest of the blue cheeses but I went for Danish blue which has a milder flavour but is just as good with a glass of red wine!

You will need -

a puff pastry sheet

a slab of strong blue cheese (I used Danish blue)

1 egg (beaten)

Preheat your oven to 220ºC and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Unroll your pastry sheet onto a board, cut it down the middle and brush half of it with water. Cut your cheese into 'fingers' and lay onto the pastry, leaving a gap in between each slice. (My 'fingers' were about 20mm x 80mm and I left a gap of 20mm in between each one).

Cover with the other half of the pastry and press down between each piece of cheese in order to seal the pastry together. Then cut out your 'fingers' using a sharp knife, place onto the baking tray and brush with the beaten egg.

Bake in your preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Best eaten warm.

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