Upcycling Pastry Scraps into a Delicious Caramelized Onion Tart – Quick Guide
The following method presents a quick interpretation on the French onion tart, converting some leftover of pastry scraps into a impromptu treat. Keep and combine any leftovers into a ball and re-roll as the need arises. Dough freezes beautifully in the freezer compartment, and by omitting two laborious steps in the classic preparation – making the dough and caramelising the onions – this dish comes together about an hour faster. Instead, the onions are prepared inverted, cooking and browning beneath a layer of dough with anchovies and dark olives for a speedy, fun variation on a iconic French recipe. In case you have a smaller amount of dough, you can always halve the ingredients.
Fast Inverted Pissaladière Tarts
The current wave of upside-down tarts, which became popular on social media and Instagram a few years back, may have started with a delicious and straightforward fruit and honey pastry or an motivational onion tart that even led to a whole book on flipped dishes. Personally, I’ve been experimenting with flipped preparations lately, from an extra-long leek tart to these speedy mini French tarts. It’s a simple, playful approach to make something that appears extra-special.
Produces 4 individual tarts
- 1 red onion
- 2 tbsp extra virgin oil
- 1 tbsp agave nectar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 8 salted fish (or 4, for a less intense taste profile)
- Brined olives, to taste
- 120g pastry sheets – flaky or buttery is suitable also
Heat the appliance to 210C (190C fan)/410F/gas 6½. Strip and clean the onion, then cut into four large, circular pieces. Prepare a hob-appropriate cookie sheet with baking paper, then imagine where you will position each slice of onion. Drizzle those areas with oil and honey, then flavor. Lay two fillets on top of each prepared area and layer them with a round of onion. Arrange a few dark olives among the onions, then sprinkle with a little more olive oil, honey, salt and black pepper.
Activate two adjacent stovetop elements to a moderate temperature, set the sheet on top of the burners and allow the onions to simmer without moving for five minutes.
Meanwhile, on a sprinkled with flour board, flatten the pastry and slice it into four rectangles just large enough to enclose each piece of onion. Carefully lay one pastry square on top of each round of onion, flatten on the perimeter with the flat side of a tool, then bake for a short while, until the pastry is browned. Place a serving platter on top of the baking sheet, then invert to invert the tarts on to the plate. Carefully peel away the parchment and present.
