The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

While the country I love feels painfully divided, I have been focusing on what unites us, and to my mind, food has always been the great unifier. Our nation's rich diversity makes it hard to define a truly American cuisine, but perhaps nothing has come to represent us quite like the humble Apple Pie. I am sure many of you already have a tried-and-true recipe, possibly passed down over generations, for this quintessential American dessert. So, I thought I would bring you something a little different.

While Tarte Tatine originates from France, as do many pastry delights, the combination of dark caramel and apples seem tailored to the American palate. Because the tart is baked upside down and then flipped out to serve, the crust remains perfectly crisp while the apples meld with the caramel.

INGREDIENTS:

For the crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling

¼ cup sugar

Pinch of salt

½ cup (one stick) chilled butter cut into 12 pieces

1 egg yolk

1 to 4 tablespoons ice water

For the Filling:

1 to 4 lbs firm baking apples (Braeburn, Granny Smith, or Golden Delicious) peeled, cored, and quartered lengthwise. Don't worry about browning, as they will turn dark as they caramelize in the bake.

6 tablespoons soft butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare Crust: Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter until pea-sized and evenly distributed. In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of ice water with a fork. Pour mixture into the flour and blend. Add more ice water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough just starts to form together. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and lightly knead a few times to form a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Filling: Place a 9-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and sugar, gently swirling the pan as the butter melts. As the sugar melts to a golden color, start stirring gently with a wooden spoon. Keep an eye on the pan, and don't let the sugar burn. Keep stirring until the caramel is dark amber brown and bubbling. Takes 10 to 15 minutes. Take off heat.

While the pan cools, cut the apple quarters in half lengthwise and begin arranging in concentric circles starting from the outer edge. Place the apples peeled side down, pressing gently into the caramel. Fill gaps with smaller pieces. Apples should resemble a flower and be packed tight as they will shrink during baking. Remember, the bottom will become the top.

Roll the crust into a circle about 11 inches in diameter and place over the apples. Tuck the edges under, pressing between the pan and the apples. Make four small vent cuts.

Bake for 35-45 minutes. The crust should be golden brown with filling bubbling around the sides.

When done, remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Place a serving platter upside down on top, then carefully and quickly flip the platter and the pan over, releasing the tart. If any apples are stuck in the pan, use a spatula to retrieve them and arrange them on the tart.

Serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or crème fraîche.

MY NOTES:

Using this as a starting point, there are endless ways to make this recipe your own. For added luxury scrape a whole vanilla pod into the butter and sugar while making the caramel. You could also play with spices, perhaps a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom for a twist on classic apple pie spice. A sprinkle of lavender or fancy sea salt would pair beautifully with the caramel.

For an adults-only treat, try mixing a little Calvados or Bourbon into fresh whip cream and serving a generous dollop on top.

I am a little old fashioned and prefer using a manual pastry cutter when making my crust, but you could use a food processor if you prefer. Puff Pastry would also be a lovely crust choice. Try using your favorite crust recipe, or even (gasp) store-bought in a pinch.

Enjoy and consider sharing a slice with your neighbor who voted for the other guy.