Recipe: Tarte Tatin A La Nounou

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

8 to 12 small Red Delicious apples

1 sheet frozen puff pastry patty shell

Vanilla ice cream

Place butter and sugar in heavy-gauge pan 2 1/2 inches deep and 8 inches in diameter. Peel and core apples. Arrange apples snugly upright around edge of pan and in center over sugar mixture. Add more apples, if necessary, to keep pan snugly fitted with apples.

Place over low to medium heat and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until sugar-butter syrup is golden caramel color. As apples cook, fit any bits of apple in gaps where apples have shrunk.

Roll patty shell out on floured board to 9-inch circle. It should be very thin. Pierce with tines of fork and place over apples. Bake at 375 degrees 20 minutes or until crust is golden. Invert on platter, being careful sides do not fall away. With spatula or broad knife, smooth surface of apples and serve warm topped with small scoops of vanilla ice cream. Makes about 8 servings.

Note: In place of puff pastry use 6 sheets filo dough. Stack, cut into 9-inch circle and brush each sheet with butter. Stack again and place over tart to bake as directed.