Thought for Food

A great French accidental cooking discovery from the early 19th century.

Ingredients:

* 6-8 Granny Smith apples
* 12 Tablespoons butter, cut into 1 tablespoon pieces
* 1 cup sugar

For the pastry:

* 1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
* 6 Tablespoons confectioner's sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 10 Tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the pastry:
1. Put the flour, sugar and salt in the food processor and pulse to blend. Add butter and pulse until the mixture looks like fine meal.

2. Stir the vanilla into the egg and add to the flour. Pulse a few times, just long enough for the dough to pull together.

3. Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it until it is pliable. Press into a ball, wrap with plastic and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes. Just before using the pastry, roll it out into a 12-inch circle.

For the apples:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°.

2. Core apples preferable with an apple corer. Peel and quarter them.

3. Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over med-heat. Remove from heat and sprinkle the sugar evenly over the butter.

4. Tightly pack the apples, upright, around the inside edge of the skillet. They should be nestled tightly against each other. Return the pan to the stove and cook over high heat until the butter and sugar carmelize to a rich brown ~ about 15 minutes.

5. Remove from heat and carefully turn the apples over to the uncooked side with a fork. Return to the heat and cook an additional 5-8 minutes.

6. Remove from heat. Drape the pastry over the apples, tucking the overhang down between the apples and the inside edge of the skillet.

7. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Remove and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

To serve:
Loosen the edges of the pastry with a knife. Invert onto a platter quickly and carefully. Serve warm.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Recipes, Pie, Desserts, Apples, Tarte Tartin