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This particular method offers a fast take on the French onion tart, turning a handful of dough trimmings into a spontaneous delicacy. Keep and collect any trimmings into a ball and roll out again whenever needed. Dough freezes beautifully in the freezer, and by skipping two lengthy steps in the standard recipe – creating the dough and cooking slowly the onions – this recipe is ready about an hour faster. Alternatively, the onions are cooked upside down, cooking and caramelising beneath a covering of pastry with anchovies and dark olives for a fast, enjoyable variation on a traditional French dish. In case you have less pastry, you can always reduce the recipe.

Quick Upside-Down Pissaladière Tarts

The present popularity of inverted pastries, which became popular on social media and social networks a few years back, may have originated with a tasty and straightforward fruit and honey pastry or an inspirational savory tart that even inspired a entire publication on upside-down cooking. Personally, I’ve been enjoying myself with cooking upside down lately, from an extra-long leek tart to these quick pissaladière tartlets. It’s a straightforward, playful way to prepare something that seems especially impressive.

Yields 4 individual tarts

• 1 purple onion
• 2 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• Sea salt and peppercorns
• 8 salted fish (or 4, for a less intense flavor)
• Pitted black olives, to taste
• 120g dough – flaky or shortcrust can be used also

Heat the stove to 210C (190C fan)/410F/gas 6½. Remove the skin and prepare the onion, then slice into four sizable, cross-sections. Cover a stovetop-safe oven sheet with non-stick paper, then imagine where you will position each round of onion. Pour those spots with olive oil and sweetener, then add salt and pepper. Put two small fish on top of each prepared area and layer them with a piece of onion. Arrange a few olives among the onions, then add with a extra olive oil, sweetener, salt flakes and black pepper.

Turn on two adjacent hob rings to a warm setting, put the tray on top of the elements and let the onions to heat undisturbed for five minutes.

Meanwhile, on a lightly floured counter, roll out the sheets and slice it into four squares sufficiently sized to enclose each round of onion. Gently put one dough piece on top of each piece of onion, press down around the edges with the reverse of a tool, then bake for twenty minutes, until the pastry is browned. Lay a serving platter on top of the baking sheet, then turn over to flip the tarts on to the surface. Gently remove the parchment and enjoy.