Instructions: Dont be concerned if Tomato Tarte Tatin looks a trifle charred when it is turned out; the darker the color, the better the flavor will be. The tarte can be cooked up to 8 hours ahead and kept in the pan (but not if its cast iron).

Warm it briefly before turning it out to serve with crisp greens as an appetizer or a vegetarian main dish.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Sprinkle cut sides of tomatoes with salt and pepper. Sprinkle sugar in a deep, 12- to 14 inch skillet with an heat-proof handle and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar melts and toasts to a golden caramel, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and at once add vinegar, standing back as it will sputter. Return skillet to heat, stir to dissolve caramel, then stir in oil.

Remove skillet from heat and add tomatoes, cut sides down, packing them tightly so all touch the bottom. Push rosemary and bay leaves between tomatoes.

Roast tomatoes, uncovered, in oven until very tender, wrinkled and all liquid has evaporated, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Forty-five minutes before tomatoes are done, add unpeeled garlic cloves to skillet to roast until very tender.

Oil a tarte Tatin pan or a 10 inch skillet with heat-proof handle and add tomatoes, arranging them, cut sides down, in a pattern. Add wine to larger skillet and heat, stirring to deglaze the juices. Strain liquid over tomatoes.

Discard herbs from skillet. Press garlic pulp through strainer on top of tomatoes. Chill them in the pan. Tomatoes can be cooked up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated.

To finish, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll pastry to 10 inch round and pierce dough so that it will rise evenly. Transfer to pan to cover tomatoes, trim excess dough and tuck edges down around fruit.

Bake until dough is crisp and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let tarte cool 5 minutes, then turn out onto a platter. Garnish with arugula. Or let tarte cool in pan, turn it out and serve at room temperature.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.