Tomato & Stracciatella Upside-Down Tart: Flaky, Juicy and Beautifully Simple
This Tomato & Stracciatella Upside-Down Tart is the kind of puff pastry recipe that looks elegant but secretly asks very little from you. Thin slices of tomato bake underneath buttery puff pastry with olive oil, balsamic glaze, thyme and salt, then the tart is flipped to reveal a glossy, savoury tomato topping. The warm tart is finished with creamy stracciatella, extra thyme and another drizzle of balsamic glaze, creating a beautiful contrast between flaky pastry, juicy tomatoes and soft cheese. If puff pastry is your love language too, you will find even more ideas in my cookbook Everything is Better with Puff Pastry, including Avocado Mousse and Salmon Tartare Vol-au-Vent, Strawberry Cream Cheese Shells and Nectarine Frangipane Tartlets.
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Simple Ingredients, Big Flavours
What makes this upside-down tomato tart so delicious is the way a few simple ingredients work together. The tomatoes become soft and savoury, the balsamic glaze adds sweetness and depth, the thyme brings freshness, and the puff pastry bakes into a golden, buttery base. It is a simple recipe, but every ingredient has a job to do. For more easy puff pastry inspiration, try my Balsamic Tomato and Feta Puffs or Smoked Salmon Puff Pastry Twists.
- Tomatoes – A mix of tomatoes works beautifully here. Beef heart tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes or colourful heirloom tomatoes all bring slightly different sweetness, texture and colour. Slice them thinly so they bake down nicely and sit evenly underneath the pastry.
- Olive oil and balsamic glaze – These create the flavour base directly on the parchment paper. The olive oil helps the tomatoes soften, while the balsamic glaze adds a sweet, tangy finish that makes the tart taste richer without needing a complicated sauce.
- Fresh thyme – Thyme is perfect with tomatoes because it adds a savoury, herby note without overpowering the tart. You will use some before baking and a little extra at the end for freshness.
- Puff pastry – Ready-made puff pastry keeps this recipe quick and easy. The most important rule is to keep it cold, because cold pastry puffs better and holds its shape more neatly in the oven.
- Egg yolk and milk – This simple egg wash gives the pastry a golden, glossy finish. It also helps the top bake beautifully while the tomatoes soften underneath.
- Stracciatella – Stracciatella adds a creamy, luxurious finish. It melts slightly over the warm tart, making the tomatoes feel even juicier and richer. If you cannot find stracciatella, torn burrata is the best substitute, while fresh mozzarella also works but gives a less creamy result.
How to Make Tomato & Stracciatella Upside-Down Tart
Preparing the Tomatoes
Start by slicing the tomatoes thinly. You can use a mix of tomatoes, such as beef heart tomatoes and cherry tomatoes, for different colours, shapes and flavours. Once sliced, place them on kitchen paper to remove any excess moisture. Tomatoes naturally release a lot of liquid as they bake, so this step helps them bake down nicely without making the tart too wet. Leave them on the kitchen paper while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Preparing the Baking Tray
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F fan and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic glaze directly onto the parchment paper, roughly creating an oblong shape. Scatter the thyme leaves over the top, then sprinkle with salt. This will become the flavour base for the tomatoes as they bake underneath the pastry.
Arranging the Tomatoes
Place the sliced tomatoes on top of the olive oil, balsamic glaze, thyme and salt, keeping them in roughly the same oblong shape. Try to arrange them in an even layer, without piling them too thickly, so they cook evenly and are easier to flip later. The tomatoes should sit neatly inside the area where the puff pastry will cover them.
Shaping the Puff Pastry
Roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle approximately 24 x 36 cm/9½ x 14¼ in. Cut out an oblong shape large enough to fully cover the tomatoes. Carefully place the pastry over the tomato layer, then gently crimp the edges to seal and create a border. If the puff pastry becomes too warm or soft while you are working with it, place it in the fridge for 10 minutes before continuing.
Brushing and Pricking the Pastry
In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk with the milk to make the egg wash. Brush this mixture all over the puff pastry, making sure the surface is evenly coated. Then use a fork to prick the pastry all over. This helps steam escape during baking and stops the pastry from puffing up too unevenly.
Baking the Tart
Bake the tart for about 15 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden, puffed and cooked through. The pastry should look crisp and deeply golden on top, while the tomatoes underneath soften with the olive oil, balsamic glaze, thyme and salt. If needed, bake for an extra minute or two until the pastry is fully cooked.
Flipping the Tart
Once baked, remove the tart from the oven and let it cool slightly before flipping. This short resting time makes it easier and safer to handle, as the tomatoes and juices will be very hot straight from the oven. Carefully turn the tart upside down onto a serving board or plate, then gently peel away the parchment paper to reveal the tomato layer.
Finishing the Tart
Top the warm tart with dollops of stracciatella. Sprinkle with extra thyme leaves and finish with another drizzle of balsamic glaze. The stracciatella melts beautifully over the warm tomatoes, making the tart creamy, fresh and delicious. Serve while warm, when the pastry is still flaky and the cheese is slightly melted.
Why We Love This Tomato & Stracciatella Upside-Down Tart
This Tomato & Stracciatella Upside-Down Tart is simple, beautiful and full of flavour, with very little effort. The tomatoes bake with olive oil, balsamic glaze and thyme until soft, glossy and savoury, while the puff pastry turns golden and flaky on top. Once flipped, the tart looks impressive enough for entertaining, but the method is still easy and approachable. The creamy stracciatella melts slightly over the warm tomatoes, adding richness and freshness without making the tart feel heavy. If you enjoy easy puff pastry recipes with a savoury twist, you may also like my Spinach and Feta Puff Pastry Rolls and Chicken and Feta Puff Quiches.
Perfect for Any Occasion
This tart is perfect as a starter, light lunch, brunch dish or easy sharing plate. Serve it warm while the pastry is still flaky and the stracciatella is slightly melted, or let it cool a little and slice it for a relaxed table spread. It pairs beautifully with a simple green salad, soup or roasted vegetables, and it is especially lovely during tomato season when you want something more exciting than another salad. For the best texture, bake it close to serving time, as puff pastry is always at its best fresh from the oven. If you are planning a puff pastry spread, you may also enjoy my Mini Cheeseburger Puff Pastry Bites and Cheesy Pesto Braided Puffs
Instagram Tutorial & More
Want to see this tart come together? Watch my quick video tutorial on Instagram, and don’t miss my other easy and delicious sweet and savoury puff pastry recipes:
- Cheesy Beef Puffs
- Mozzarella Puff Pastry Boats
- Mini Sausage Puffs
- Cheesy Pepper Olive Twists
- Broccolini Tomato Puff Bites
- Easy Berry Puff Squares
- Salmon Puff Pastry Cups
Happy baking,
Izabella
Description
This Tomato & Stracciatella Upside-Down Tart is an easy puff pastry recipe that looks beautiful with very little effort. Thinly sliced tomatoes are baked with olive oil, balsamic glaze, thyme and a little salt until soft, juicy and full of flavour. The puff pastry bakes on top, then the tart is flipped over to reveal the glossy tomato layer underneath. While the tart is still warm, it is finished with creamy stracciatella, extra thyme and another drizzle of balsamic glaze. The stracciatella melts slightly into the tomatoes, making the tart rich, fresh and delicious. It is perfect as a starter, light lunch, brunch dish or something simple to share.
Ingredients
For the tart
For the topping
Instructions
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Slice the tomatoes and place them on kitchen paper to remove any excess moisture. This helps the tomatoes bake down nicely without releasing too much liquid.
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Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F fan and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic glaze directly onto the parchment, roughly creating an oblong shape. Scatter over the thyme leaves and season with salt. Arrange the tomato slices on top, keeping them in the same oblong shape.
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Roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle approximately 24 x 36 cm/9½ x 14¼ in, then cut out an oblong shape large enough to cover the tomatoes. Place the pastry over the tomatoes, then gently crimp the edges to seal and help create a border.
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In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk with the milk. Brush the egg wash all over the pastry, then prick the pastry with a fork to help release steam as it bakes. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the pastry is golden, puffed and cooked through.
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Once baked, let the tart cool slightly. Carefully turn it upside down and peel away the parchment paper. Top with dollops of stracciatella, sprinkle with extra thyme leaves and drizzle with more balsamic glaze. The stracciatella melts beautifully over the warm tart, making it extra creamy and delicious.
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 ServingCalories:637.91kcalTotal Fat:45.18gCholesterol:66.36mgSodium:401.04mgPotassium:233.41mgTotal Carbohydrate:42.59gDietary Fiber: 2.04gSugars: 2.94gProtein:15.74gVitamin A: 107.25IUVitamin C: 8.83mgCalcium: 215.74mgIron: 2.74mgVitamin D: 0.38IUVitamin E: 1.41IUVitamin K: 21.15mcgVitamin B6: 0.09mgVitamin B12: 0.93mcgPhosphorus: 215.22mgMagnesium: 29.4mgZinc: 1.74mg
Note
- Keep the puff pastry cold while working with it. If it becomes too warm or soft, pop it back into the fridge for 10 minutes before baking. Cold pastry will puff up better and hold its shape more nicely in the oven.
- After slicing the tomatoes, place them on kitchen paper to remove excess moisture. Tomatoes release a lot of liquid as they bake, so this step helps the tart bake more evenly and keeps the final texture better.
- Use a mix of tomatoes if possible. Beef heart tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes or colourful heirloom tomatoes all work well here. Just make sure they are sliced quite thinly so they soften properly during baking.
- Do not overload the tart with too many tomatoes. Keep them in a fairly even layer so the pastry can bake properly and the tart is easier to flip.
- Make sure to prick the puff pastry with a fork before baking. This helps steam escape and stops the pastry from puffing up too unevenly.
- Let the tart cool for a few minutes before flipping it. If you flip it straight away, the tomatoes and juices will be very hot and delicate. A short cooling time makes it easier to handle.
- Stracciatella melts beautifully over the warm tart, but if you cannot find it, you can use torn burrata instead. Fresh mozzarella also works, although it will be less creamy. For the closest result, burrata is the best substitute.
- This tart is best served warm, shortly after baking, while the pastry is still flaky and the stracciatella is slightly melted.
