Apple Tart Tatin

Melt butter in tart tatin pan over medium heat. Add sugar and cook, stirring occasionally until sugar melts and turns deep amber colored, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Arrange a little less than half of the apples in bottom of pan, cut side facing up, spacing apples as close together as possible, forming one layer (bottom will be top of tart).

Arrange remaining apples, round sides up, over apples in pan, filling pan evenly. Cover with lid and cook slowly over medium-low heat until apples become juicy and tender at edges, about 25 minutes. Uncover and continue to simmer slowly (do not burn caramel on bottom of pan) until apples are very tender and the juices in the bottom of pan are reduced to a thick caramel (about 1/4 to 1/2-inch deep in pan), about 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out puff pasty sheet to thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut circle of dough to fit over apples, about 9 1/2-inches in diameter. Tuck edges down covering apples completely. Bake until crust has puffed, is a very dark golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool tart in pan 5 minutes. Invert serving plate atop tart. Using hot pads, grasp plate and pan handles together firmly. Turn pan with tart and plate over. Remove pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.