Tarte Tatin

Tarte Tatin

There’s something about French patisserie that makes me so happy. Every time I go back home to my parents I always have to go and buy a selection for me and my family. It’s a feast for the eyes as well as the palate!

Tarte tatin is a family favourite, as well as anything lemony or chocolatey! This recipe is my grandmothers and is sure to make your stomach happy!

This recipe is usually done with puff pastry but I didn’t have any to hand, and with being in lockdown, popping to the shops for non essentials is no longer an option, so I made rich short crust instead (because, who has time or the patience to make their own puff pastry?!!) and it tasted delicious.

Ingredients:

For the pastry, if not using ready made puff pastry:

• 175g plain flour 
• 25g golden caster sugar 
• 85g unsalted butter, chilled & cubed
• 1egg yolk
• 2tbsp ice cold water
• Pinch of salt 

For the filling:

• 6 apples, peeled, cored & quartered 
• 50g unsalted butter
• 50g golden caster sugar 
• 1 lemon, juiced 

If making your own pastry, add the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor then add the chilled butter and mix until it resembles fine crumbs. Whilst the machine is still running, add the egg yolk and water through the feed tube, and process until the mixture comes together to form a firm dough.

Take the dough out and form into a ball then wrap in cling film. Leave to chill in the fridge whilst you crack on with the apples.

In a tarte tatin dish, heat the butter over a medium heat. Once melted, add the sugar and mix. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the lemon juice and mix together. Now add your apples and mix so they are covered with the mixture. You want to caramelise your apples, this will take around ten minutes.

If you need to, add a little more butter and sugar. Once your apples are caramelised, take off the heat and leave to cool slightly. If making your own pastry, take out of the fridge and rollout so it’s big enough to cover your pan.

Neatly arrange the apples so the are all flat and the pan is fully covered. Carefully take your pastry and cover the apples. Carefully press the pastry into the sides and cut off any excess. Prick the pastry 3 times with a knife and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Lower the heat to 160C and cook for a further 10-15 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.

Leave to cool then invert a plate over the dish, hold the plate and dish together and flip over so the apples are on top. Serve with ice cream, crème fraîche or custard.

Creamy Caprese Stuffed Pasta Shells

Creamy Caprese Stuffed Pasta Shells 

This dish will literally transport you to Italy, it’s creamy, cheesy and the sun dried tomato sauce just brings it all together.

I served this as a main for Valentine’s Day, alongside my Arancini as a starter and tiramisu for dessert.

Ingredients:

• 250g jumbo pasta shells 
• 500g ricotta 
• 375g mozzarella 
• 285g sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped 
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped basil 
• Salt & pepper 
• 100ml chicken stock 
• 100ml double cream 

Preheat the oven to 180C. In a large pan of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al denté. Drain and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, mozzarella, half the sun dried tomatoes, basil, then season with salt & pepper.

In a small saucepan over a low heat, combine chicken broth, double cream and the remaining sun dried tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Pour 1/3 of the sauce into an oven proof dish. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the pasta shells and place into the pan, then pour over the remaining sauce.

Bake in the oven until the cheese has melted and is golden, around 20-25 minutes.