How to Make Fresh Tomato Napoleons
In the Style of Mille Fueille, the Famous French Pastry
Jul 18, 2009
Contrary to some popular mythology, Napoleons probably have little if anything to do with Napoleon Bonaparte.
Napoleon’s Royal Connection?
Danes maintain that this dessert was created by the King of Denmark's Royal Pastry Chef in honor of a visit to that country by Emperor Napoleon I. The story goes that Napoleon liked the dessert so much that he ordered his own pastry chef to duplicate it. One version credits his pastry overindulgence the night before the Battle of Waterloo with command mistakes that cost him the battle.
Another version credits Antoine Careme (1783-1833). Careme is the renowned French pastry chef who popularized the use of puff pastry. However, there is no record of the stacked pastry until the late 1800s, well after both Napoleon and Careme were dead.
The Neapolitan Connection
More likely some French pastry chef imitated a concoction famous in Naples (Napoli in Italian) and called it “à la Napolitaine,” in the style of Naples. While Napoleon’s forces did conquer Napoli, the city is not named for the emporer, but rather its original Latin name “Neapolis”: new city.
Americans can probably take credit for mistranslating “Napolitaine” into “Napoleon.” The French don’t call them “Napoleons,” nor do the Italians, nor even most of the former British Empire.
A savory tomato Napoleon may seem strange at first, but in its namesake Naples, the pastry sheets of mille foglie are more often filled with cheese and spinach or pesto instead of the typical pastry cream.
This recipe, especially if buffalo mozzarella is used instead of goat cheese, is ironically more reminiscent of Caprese, the famous layered Italian salad named for the Isle of Capri, in the Bay of Napoli.
This dish is a super accompaniment for grilled chicken or steak.
Fresh Tomato Napoleon
Ingredients:
- 4 medium tomatoes
- 3 Tbsp good quality extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ Tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp each: dry mustard, sea salt and sugar
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups baby spinach or other salad greens
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese, feta or grated mozzarella
Method:
- Cut a thin slice from the stem end of each tomato. Cut the rest of the tomato into 4 slices.
- In a small non-reactive bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients: oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt, sugar and pepper.
- In a medium bowl, toss the greens with about 1 Tbsp of the dressing. On each of 4 small serving plates, place 1 tomato slice and sprinkle lightly with greens and cheese. Top with another slice and repeat the layers, ending with a tomato slice on top.
- Drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve.
Yield: 4 servings
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