Banana tarte tatin
From East by Meera Sodha
Ingredients
150g light brown Muscovado sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
a pinch of cloves
⅛ tsp finely ground black pepper
5 small to medium bananas, peeled and cut in half lengthways
plain flour, for dusting
320g puff pastry (dairy-free if you're vegan)
Steps
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400'F/gas 6 and keep your ovenproof frying pan or tatin tin within reach.
Place the Muscovado sugar in a small saucepan and add 2 tablespoons of water. Mix with your fingertips and pat into a single layer. Place the saucepan over a high heat and allow the sugar to bubble and dissolve for around 3 minutes, then remove from the heat and add the cinnamon, cloves and pepper. Stir, then pour into your ovenproof frying pan or tatin tin.
Place the halved bananas closely together in the frying pan or tin, cut side down, to make a fan shape. Fill any gaps with more cut banana if need be. Flour your work surface, then roll out the puff pastry until it's just bigger than the top of the pan (around 32cm) and the thickness of a 2p coin. Drape the pastry over your rolling pin, carefully lay it over the pan, and gently tuck down the edges around the bananas, making sure there are no gaps. Prick the pastry all over with a fork (to ensure the steam escapes and the pastry will crisp) and place in the oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Make sure you're wearing padded oven gloves on both hands when you remove the tarte tatin from the oven, as the caramel will be volcano hot. You need to turn the tarte tatin out immediately, so take extra care. Once it's out of the oven, place a large plate (larger than the size of the pan) over the top of the pan and gently turn it over, shaking gently, then remove the pan carefully.
Serve still warm. It goes very well with a little creme fraiche or yoghurt sweetened with icing sugar and brightened with a little lime juice.
