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This recipe provides a fast take on pissaladière, transforming a small amount of dough trimmings into a quick treat. Store and collect any trimmings into a round mass and re-roll as the need arises. Dough keeps well in the freezer compartment, and by skipping two time-consuming processes in the traditional preparation – preparing the dough and caramelizing the onions – this recipe assembles much more quickly. Alternatively, the onions are heated upside down, softening and caramelising under a covering of dough with salted fish and black olives for a quick, playful variation on a iconic French recipe. Should you have a smaller amount of dough, you can always halve the recipe.

Fast Upside-Down Pissaladière Tarts

The current wave of upside-down tarts, which became popular on TikTok and Instagram a recently, may have started with an appetizing and straightforward fruit and honey pastry or an motivational pastry dish that even led to a complete guide on inverted recipes. I’ve also been having a lot of fun with flipped preparations these days, from an lengthy vegetable pastry to these quick pissaladière tartlets. It’s a simple, playful approach to prepare something that seems particularly unique.

Yields 4 individual tarts

• 1 red onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp agave nectar
• Salt and peppercorns
• 8 small fillets (or 4, for a subtler taste)
• Pitted black olives, to taste
• 120g pastry – flaky or buttery can be used too

Heat the stove to 210C (190C fan)/410F/gas 6½. Strip and trim the onion, then chop into four large, round slices. Cover a hob-appropriate cookie sheet with parchment, then plan where you will position each round of onion. Drizzle those locations with oil and honey, then season. Lay two fillets on top of each flavored area and top them with a slice of onion. Nestle a few olives inside and beside the onions, then season with a little more olive oil, nectar, seasoning and pepper.

Activate two adjacent burners to a medium heat, set the pan on top of the rings and allow the onions to cook untouched for a short time.

In the meantime, on a lightly floured counter, roll out the dough and trim it into four rectangles just large enough to enclose each piece of onion. Gently place one pastry rectangle on top of each round of onion, press down around the edges with the flat side of a tool, then cook for a short while, until the crust is crispy. Place a plate on top of the baking sheet, then invert to invert the tarts on to the board. Slowly remove the paper and enjoy.