Let’s see—caramelized onions, buttery puff pastry, salty olives and cheese and great fresh tomatoes. What else could you want in a summer appetizer?
8 SERVINGS
1 |
17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry |
2 |
tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling |
2 |
onions, sliced moderately thin |
2½ |
pounds tomatoes (preferably of different colors) |
|
Salt |
1 |
large egg |
2 |
ounces pitted oil-cured black olives |
1 |
ounce pecorino Romano |
|
Torn fresh basil leaves |
Remove the puff pastry from the freezer and defrost in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
Combine the olive oil and onions in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, covered, until the onions soften, about 15 minutes. Stir to make sure the onions aren’t scorching, replace the cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and sweet, about another 45 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Cut the tomatoes in half vertically, then slice each half horizontally as thinly as you can. Arrange the sliced tomatoes on a jelly-roll pan and sprinkle liberally with salt. Set the pan at a slant and let the tomatoes give up their liquid for at least an hour.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the puff pastry from the refrigerator and unfold the sheets. Beat the egg until it is pale. Using a pastry brush, paint a thin strip of egg wash along 1 narrow edge of 1 pastry sheet. Arrange the second sheet so it is overlapping just along the painted edge and press to seal. Transfer the pastry to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Scatter the cooled onions down the center of the pastry; they will not make a uniform layer. Drain the tomatoes. Arrange the tomatoes in overlapping slices in the center of the pastry on top of the onions. Drizzle a little olive oil on top of the tomatoes. Scatter the olives over the top, then shave the cheese over everything.
Fold the top and bottom edges of the pastry over to barely overlap the tomato filling. Fold over the sides in the same way. Cut a notch at each corner to reduce the thickness of the pastry there. Paint the edges with egg wash and bake until the pastry is puffed and dark brown, about 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and scatter the torn basil leaves over the top. Let cool slightly before serving.