This savory tarte tatin by Ottolenghi looks chic, but is surprisingly simple
A tarte tatin might sound like a culinary showpiece that requires ages, but Ottolenghi proves it doesn't have to be complicated at all.
Ottolenghi is back with Even Simple
With his latest cookbook, Even Simpel, Yotam Ottolenghi picks up where his bestseller *Simple* left off: there are once again loads of recipes bearing that creative Ottolenghi stamp (135, to be precise), but there are also three new promises to make your already busy life easier. The new recipes can either be made in less than 30 minutes, are one-pot dishes, or can be cleverly prepared in advance – as we previously wrote about what you can expect from *Simple Too*.
Besides being a lifesaver on busy days when healthy and delicious cooking sometimes falls by the wayside, in Even Simpel we also find a plea for simple cooking as a solution to keep yourself afloat in the chaos. To look away from your phone for a moment and instead focus on the beauty of a dried bean, the wondrous colors of a bunch of rhubarb, or to listen to the sound of a large pot of soup gently simmering on the stove.
How to keep it simple with this recipe
You can practice with this delicious tarte tatin recipe by Ottolenghi featuring fennel, grapes, and olives. Be mindful of the fennel's distinctive, whimsical shape as you slice it, the color of the grapes, and the aromas of fennel seeds, maple syrup, and buttery puff pastry rising from the oven, as this mountain of ingredients transforms into the savory tart of your dreams.
As Ottolenghi writes in the book's foreword: “When it comes to food, we actually all want the same thing – to eat well and truly enjoy it.” The fact that the British cookbook author shows us that you can also just keep it simple amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life is another gift.
How Ottolenghi serves this tarte tatin
Yotam Ottolenghi on his recipe: “If you think that a bowl of mixed nuts is sufficient to welcome your guests at a dinner party or that you would really never serve a homemade savory tart with a drink, think again! This looks chic and you might think it is very complicated, but it is (really) very easy! Serve this tarte tatin in square pieces as a snack or a light evening meal with a green salad on the side.”
Here is how to make this tarte tatin recipe from Ottolenghi
- Heat the oven to 230 °C.
- Place the fennel, fennel seeds, grapes, maple syrup, butter, 1½ teaspoons of salt, and plenty of pepper on a 23 x 32 cm baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring the paper is slightly larger than the baking sheet. Mix everything well. Bake for 40–45 minutes, turning the fennel halfway through, until the edges start to burn. Remove from the oven.
- Lower the oven temperature to 200°C, stir the olives into the fennel and grapes, place the puff pastry on top, and tuck in the edges as best as possible. Make 4-5 small incisions in the dough with a knife (to allow the steam to escape) and bake the tarte tatin for 25-30 minutes, until the dough is puffed up and golden brown. Let rest for 2-3 minutes, then turn the tarte tatin out onto a serving plate or wooden board, cut into square pieces, and serve.
Even Simpel by Yotam Ottolenghi (Fontaine Uitgevers) is now available for 34.99
More favorite recipes from Ottolenghi:
- A salmon recipe like you've never eaten before: za'atar salmon with tahini by Ottolenghi.
