Onion Tarte Tatin

I can guide you through the recipe for an Onion Tarte Tatin, with a uniquely Italian touch. The Tarte Tatin is a classic French dessert, but in this savory version with onions, it will have a delicious sweet and caramelized taste that pairs perfectly with the onions.

Ingredients

• 1 kg of red onions
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 30 g of butter
• 1 sprig of thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 roll of shortcrust pastry or puff pastry
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Begin by peeling the onions and slicing them thinly. In a large frying pan, heat a drizzle of oil and the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the onions to the pan and sauté until they start to soften. At this point, add the brown sugar and thyme, and let the onions slightly caramelize, adjusting with salt and pepper. This should take about 10-15 minutes.
3. Once the onions are caramelized, arrange them on the bottom of a round cake tin, trying to create an even layer.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 190 °C.
5. Lay the shortcrust or puff pastry over the onions and tuck the edges of the pastry along the sides of the tin, almost like sealing the onions inside.
6. Make small holes in the pastry with the tip of a knife to allow the steam to escape, and bake the Tarte Tatin for about 20-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
7. When done, let cool for a few minutes and then flip the Onion Tarte Tatin onto a serving plate, being careful not to burn yourself with the caramel.
8. Serve the Onion Tarte Tatin warm or at room temperature.

Curiosity

The Tarte Tatin was created by mistake by the Tatin sisters at their hotel in France in the late 1800s. Legend has it that one of the sisters carelessly forgot to put the pastry base in an apple pie, adding it only above the filling later. She decided to bake the dessert as it was, flipping the tart before serving it, thus discovering a new delicious way to serve a pie. The onion version is a savory variant of this sweet recipe.