Upcycling Pastry Scraps into a Flavorful Caramelised Onion Tart – Easy Guide
This technique provides a speedy version on the French onion tart, transforming a handful of leftover pastry into a impromptu delicacy. Store and gather any leftovers into a round mass and use again as the need arises. Dough freezes beautifully in the freezer, and by omitting two laborious procedures in the classic recipe – making the pastry and cooking slowly the onions – this recipe is ready much more quickly. Alternatively, the onions are heated inverted, cooking and caramelizing under a covering of pastry with salted fish and brined olives for a speedy, playful variation on a French classic. Should you have not as much pastry, you can always cut down the method.
Quick Inverted Pissaladière Tarts
The current trend of upside-down tarts, which went viral on TikTok and social networks a couple of years ago, may have originated with an appetizing and simple peach and honey puff pastry or an creative savory tart that even resulted in a whole book on inverted recipes. Personally, I’ve been experimenting with flipped preparations recently, from an lengthy vegetable pastry to these quick pissaladière tartlets. It’s a easy, creative approach to create something that feels extra-special.
Makes 4 personal pastries
- 1 sweet onion
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp agave nectar
- Sea salt and peppercorns
- 8 anchovies (or 4, for a subtler taste profile)
- Pitted black olives, to taste
- 120g pastry sheets – puff or buttery is suitable also
Preheat the stove to 210C (190C fan)/410F/gas 6½. Strip and clean the onion, then cut into four large, circular pieces. Cover a heat-resistant baking tray with non-stick paper, then imagine where you will position each piece of onion. Pour those areas with olive oil and syrup, then flavor. Lay two anchovies on top of each seasoned patch and top them with a slice of onion. Nestle a few olives among the onions, then season with a extra fat, honey, seasoning and black pepper.
Activate two side-by-side burners to a warm setting, place the tray on top of the burners and allow the onions to cook untouched for 5 minutes.
In the meantime, on a dusted counter, spread the dough and slice it into four squares just large enough to top each slice of onion. Precisely lay one pastry square on top of each round of onion, press down on the perimeter with the reverse of a utensil, then cook for twenty minutes, until the dough is browned. Lay a serving platter on top of the pastry tray, then flip to turn the tarts on to the plate. Gently remove the lining and present.
