Upcycling Pastry Leftovers into a Tasty Caramelised Onion Tart – Simple Method

This method offers a quick version on the French onion tart, turning a handful of dough trimmings into a impromptu treat. Save and combine any leftovers into a lump and roll out again as and when required. Pastry stores nicely in the icebox, and by skipping two time-consuming procedures in the standard preparation – making the dough and caramelizing the onions – this dish is ready much more quickly. In its place, the onions are cooked flipped, cooking and caramelizing under a blanket of pastry with salted fish and dark olives for a speedy, enjoyable take on a traditional French dish. And if you have not as much pastry, you can always reduce the recipe.

Speedy Flipped Pissaladière Tarts

The recent wave of inverted pastries, which became popular on TikTok and Instagram a couple of years ago, may have begun with a tasty and straightforward fruit and honey pastry or an motivational savory tart that even inspired a whole book on upside-down cooking. Personally, I’ve been experimenting with flipped preparations lately, from an elongated savory tart to these speedy small onion tarts. It’s a straightforward, creative way to create something that feels extra-special.

Produces 4 individual tarts

  • 1 purple onion
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • Salt and peppercorns
  • 8 salted fish (or 4, for a less intense flavor)
  • Dark pitted olives, to taste
  • 120g pastry – puff or firm is suitable as well

Heat the oven to 410F/210C. Strip and trim the onion, then cut into four thick, circular pieces. Prepare a stovetop-safe baking tray with baking paper, then visualize where you will place each round of onion. Drizzle those locations with cooking oil and sweetener, then season. Lay two small fish on top of each flavored area and layer them with a slice of onion. Arrange a few dark olives among the onions, then add with a little more fat, honey, salt and spice.

Switch on two adjacent stovetop elements to a warm setting, set the pan on top of the rings and allow the onions to simmer without moving for a short time.

In the meantime, on a sprinkled with flour surface, spread the sheets and trim it into four squares big enough to top each slice of onion. Precisely put one dough piece on top of each piece of onion, flatten around the edges with the reverse of a fork, then heat for a short while, until the dough is crispy. Lay a plate on top of the baking sheet, then flip to turn the tarts on to the plate. Slowly lift off the paper and enjoy.

Brittney Evans
Brittney Evans

A passionate traveler and mindfulness coach, sharing insights from global adventures to inspire personal transformation.