I’ve got a bit of a Valentines Day tradition happening with Mr Meat-and-Three-Veg.  We avoid the over priced restaurants with all the couples sitting staring into each other eyes and instead pack a picnic and head out side.  There’s less pressure and it feels much less commercialised.  This year we ended up in the Botanic Gardens and when I got home from work I quickly made this cherry tomato and caramelised onion tart to take along. It really is that quick.  It’s a savoury tart but still has a lovely sweetness from the slow cooked onion and blistered tomatoes.  Best eaten with champagne outdoors.

Picnic in botanic gardens

Ingredients
1 sheet of puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 onion
1 x 250g punnet of cherry tomatoes, see if you can get some heirloom ones – the taste will be better and the colours look great.
Salt and pepper

Cooking the pastry – it puffs up like a pillow

1.  Preheat oven to 180c and place pastry sheet on a baking paper lined tray.  Brush with the egg and then bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden.

2.  Meanwhile heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frypan on the lowest heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook very slowly for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. When the onions are soft and have started to turn a golden colour add sugar and balsamic to start the caramelisation process. Cook onion over low heat for a further 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sticky and caramelised.

4. Remove the puff pastry from the oven and use a tea towel to press down in the middle, then spread with the caramelised onion.

5.  Heat the remainder of the olive oil in a large frypan on a medium heat and cook the tomatoes, tossing occasionally until their skins blister.

6.  Top the tart with the tomatoes and some salt and pepper to season.

The tart with cherry tomatoes and caramelised onion

Serves two.  How romantic.