Caramelized Tiamo and Onion-Ricotta tart!

Somewhere around the first week of April, I was contacted by the Lipman Produce saying that “They loved my creation of ‘Balsamic roasted tomato-basil ice cream’ and they want me to create an original recipe using their flavorful tomatoes for their site. Of course I was doing a happy dance and I was like hmmmmm Sure, let’s do it! Lipman Produce has been a family owned and operated for more than 70 years. And they are known around the country for our intensely flavorful tomatoes. So when I agreed to develop a recipe for them, they sent me a box full of Lipman tomatoes in less than a week to experiment on. And I was actually surprised to see the varieties. Heirloom tomatoes, Jewel, Cherry, Grape, Roma, and the Tiamos! See the picture below?? 

But of the all my heart decided to go with the Tiamo. These tiny little golf sized tiamos are really really flavorful. Little bit tangy, bit sweet, crisp and so fresh! Chop the tiamos, drizzle some EVOO, and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper and you are good to go. Perfect bowl of salad is ready. Or you can even use it as your bruschetta topping. Either ways, it is great.

So, after brainstorming some ideas (lots of actually), I thought of caramelizing the Tiamos to bring out the flavors more and make a tart out of it. I tossed the Tiamos with little bit of sugar, salt, pepper, EVOO and also added some garlic and fresh thyme leaves. Roasted in pre-heated oven for 25 minutes and that’s it. Caramelizing method really rocked!

To finish the puff pastry tart along with the caramelized tiamos, I also added a layer of slightly roasted yellow onions on the bed of herbed ricotta cheese. The flavor combination absolutely works and makes every bite enjoyable. This tart is great when it is slightly warm but it is even better when at room temperature. Perfect for brunch/dinner or even for evening snack. Choice is yours.

Below are the recipes for how to make caramelized tomatoes and how to roast onions. For tart recipe please visit Lipman Kitchen!

Caramelized Tiamos (tomatoes):

Ingredients:

• 1 pint Lipman Tiamos – 1lb
• 3 Tbsp Extra virgin Olive oil (EVOO) to drizzle
• 3-4 garlic cloves – roughly chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp freshly crushed mixed peppercorn or black pepper
• Salt  to taste

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Line your baking tray with parchment paper.

Cut Tiamos into half and place them on baking sheet. Drizzle EVOO and sprinkle salt, sugar and pepper. Also garnish each of them with garlic and thyme. OR In a large mixing bowl, toss Tiamos with EVOO and other spices along with garlic and thyme and place it on baking sheet. Do whatever is easier for you.

Let it caramelized for about 25-30 minutes. Keep your eye on it after 25 minutes. Do not let it burn. When it’s done,

Let it cool down on baking tray on kitchen countertop till you are ready with your tart. Or you can even make this a day or two ahead and store it in refrigerator in an air-tight container and use it when you are ready.

Slightly Roasted Onions:

• 2 medium-sized yellow onions
• EVOO to drizzle
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Pre- heat oven to 350 F. Thinly slice onions and toss them with EVOO, salt and pepper. Transfer them into oven proof baking dish and roast them for about 20 minutes. Make sure not to burn them. We want nice dark golden brown color.

Tip: To save time, you can caramelize tomatoes and roast onions at the same time. That’s what I did.

For Tart recipe, please visit Lipman Kitchen!

p.s. All the reviews are my own but the tomatoes were provided by Lipman!

You can even use grape or cherry tomatoes for this recipe.

Enjoy!