Potato Tart Tartin

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I received Ottolenghi's Plenty cookbook as a wedding present and I absolutely love it! I am in need of his other cookbook. (Nudge Nudge Hint Hint husband) and I am yet to go to his restaurant in London but I am sure of making that happen the next time I am down there.
So, this recipe is one of my favourites from his book, its best served warm but it also lovely the next day for lunch. I can imagine it going down very well at a picnic also.
You will need

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 500g baby potatoes, skin on
• 1 large onion
• 40g sugar
• 10g butter
• hand full of sundried tomatoes chopped
• puff pastry rolled thinly
• salt and black pepper

First of all put your potatoes in a pan of salted boiling water and cook for 25 minutes. Drain and let them cool then cut off a little bit off the top and bottom of each potato and then cut into 2cm thick disks. If you have really small potatoes then just cut them in half.
Thinly slice your onion and then saute with the oil and some salt till golden brown.

Now brush a 22cm cake tine with oil (I use a sprung cake tin) and line the bottom with a circle of baking parchment. In a small pan cook the butter and sugar on a high heat, make sure you are stirring constantly with a wooden spoon so you get a semi dark caramel. Pour the caramel carefully into the cake tin.




Pre-heat your oven to 200C and then arrange your potatoes ontop of the caramel, work from the outside in and then push the sun-dried tomato and onion in-between the gaps. At this point you can place slices of hard goats cheese ontop.





Sprinkle some salt and pepper on top and then cut a disk of puff pastry about 3cm larger than your cake tin. Lay the pastry on top and then tuck it under the potatoes.

Bake the tart for 25 minutes and then reduce the temp to 180C and cook for a further 15 minutes. The pastry should be thoroughly cooked. Remove from the oven and let it sit for 2 minutes. Undo the spring from your tin and take off. Place an inverted place ontop of the pastry. Hold it firmly with a tea towel and then carefully but quickly turn them over and lift the tin off. You can serve this hot or cold. Its lovely with just a fresh salad or as a starter.
footnote: I have always found it a real shame to waste the left over pastry so recently I started making these little 'biscuits' Its so quick and easy and you can pop them in with the tart and just cook for 20 minutes or so.
I used

• A rectangle of puff pastry
• Finely chopped sun dried tomatoes
• Grated parmesan.

Spread the sun dried tomatoes and parmesan onto the pastry and then roll from both sides till they meet in the middle. Cut into 3cm pieces. Place on a baking tray with greaseproof paper on and squash lightly onto the sheet.

Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes and then place on a wire rack to cool. You can do many variations sweet or savory. The next time I am going to have a go with ground almonds and a little honey.