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The following method provides a fast version on the French onion tart, transforming some leftover of dough trimmings into a impromptu treat. Keep and combine any trimmings into a lump and roll out again whenever needed. Dough freezes beautifully in the freezer, and by skipping two time-consuming procedures in the classic preparation – making the pastry and cooking slowly the onions – this version comes together about an hour faster. Instead, the onions are prepared inverted, cooking and caramelising under a covering of dough with salted fish and black olives for a quick, playful twist on a traditional French dish. And if you have a smaller amount of dough, you can always reduce the ingredients.

Quick Inverted Pissaladière Tarts

The recent trend of inverted pastries, which spread quickly on social media and photo-sharing apps a few years back, may have started with an appetizing and simple peach and honey puff pastry or an inspirational pastry dish that even inspired a whole book on inverted recipes. I’ve also been having a lot of fun with inverted baking lately, from an lengthy vegetable pastry to these speedy pissaladière tartlets. It’s a simple, creative approach to create something that appears especially impressive.

Produces 4 single servings

• 1 red onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• Kosher salt and peppercorns
• 8 anchovies (or 4, for a milder taste)
• Dark pitted olives, to taste
• 120g pastry – puff or firm is suitable as well

Warm up the stove to a hot oven. Strip and prepare the onion, then chop into four sizable, circular pieces. Prepare a stovetop-safe baking tray with non-stick paper, then plan where you will put each piece of onion. Sprinkle those spots with olive oil and syrup, then add salt and pepper. Lay two anchovies on top of each seasoned area and top them with a piece of onion. Tuck a few olives among the onions, then season with a additional olive oil, honey, salt flakes and spice.

Turn on two adjacent burners to a warm setting, put the sheet on top of the burners and allow the onions to simmer without moving for a short time.

At the same time, on a sprinkled with flour board, spread the dough and trim it into four pieces sufficiently sized to enclose each piece of onion. Gently place one pastry square on top of each round of onion, flatten around the edges with the reverse of a utensil, then bake for 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Lay a serving platter on top of the hot pan, then invert to flip the tarts on to the plate. Carefully lift off the parchment and serve.