One of the benefits of upside-down cakes and tarts is that, because the fruit sits on the base where the heat is highest, the sugary juices caramelise, adding a wonderful depth of flavour. Use a cast-iron frying pan for this recipe.
Ingredients
Pastry
Method
1.For the pastry, process flour, sugar and butter until mixture is crumbly. Add egg and water, processing until large clumps start to form. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2.Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a 26cm heavy-based ovenproof frying pan with baking paper.
3.Trim top and base from pineapple and remove skin. Cut pineapple into 5mm-thick slices. Using a pastry cutter, cut centre core from each slice.
4.Add butter, sugar and spices to a large frying pan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves (2 minutes). Add half the pineapple slices, bring to a simmer and cook, turning, until just tender (3 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, transfer pineapple to a tray and set aside to cool. Repeat with remaining pineapple. Reserve syrup.
5.Arrange pineapple slices, slightly overlapping, in lined ovenproof frying pan. Add pineapple juices left on the tray to reserved syrup in pan.
6.Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 27cm round, place over pineapple and tuck in the edges.
7.Bake tart until pastry is golden and cooked through (25 minutes). Leave in pan for 10 minutes. Carefully invert tart onto a rimmed platter and peel away lining paper.
8.Reheat reserved syrup mixture in pan over medium heat, stirring until thickened slightly (2 minutes). Drizzle or brush syrup over pineapple and serve tart immediately with whipped cream or ice-cream.
