APPLE TARTE TATIN

Pastry: l cup plus 2 tbsps. flour
l stick cold butter, cut into small pieces
l/2 tsp. salt
4 to 5 tbsps. ice water
4-l/2 lbs. med. golden delicious apples
juice of l lemon
6 bsps. butter
l cup plus 2 tbsps. sugar
ice cream
Make the pastry. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate l hr.
Heat oven 350. Peel, halve and core the apples. Put apple halves
in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice. Melt the butter in an
8″ cast iron skillet. Stir in the sugar and 3 tbsps. of water and
cook over mod-high heat until a rich brown caramel forms, 8 to l0
mins. stir the caramel during the last few minutes of cooking for
even color. Remove from the heat. Pack the apples halves in the
skillet in concentric circles, standing them on their ends. Cook
over mod-low heat until the apple juices bubble in the caramel,
5 to 8 mins. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about
25 mins., until the appples are tender. Remove the skillet from the
oven and increase the oven temp. to 425. Meanwhile, foll the pastry
into an ll” round. Drape the pastry over the apples, tucking the
edges down carefully between the fjruit and side of the skillet.
Make six l” slits on top and set the skillet on a sturdy baking
sheet to catch any drips. Baie the tart in the upper third of the
oven for about 25 mins. until pastry is golden brown. Remove from
the oven and let cool for 5 mins. Using a small knife, loosen the
crust from the pan. Carefully invert the tart onto a large
serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot or warm with ice cream.
Serves 8 Food & Wine Magazine May ’94