Tasty tarts
Chicken & Chorizo Tarte Tatin
Serves 4
• 320g (11oz) sheet of ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, roughly 35 x 23cm (14 x 9in), or use homemade
• 200g (7oz) dry-cured chorizo sausage, cut into thick slices
• 3 round shallots, peeled and cut in half lengthways
• 1 tsp chopped thyme leaves, plus extra to serve
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, each cut into 4 large chunks
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Equipment:
• 20cm (8in) ovenproof skillet or cast-iron pan
Upside Down Carrot, Honey & Thyme Tarte Tatin
Side (serves 4–6)
• 320g (11oz) sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry, roughly 35 x 23cm (14 x 9in), or use homemade
• 2 tbsp chilli jam
• Drizzle of olive oil
• Drizzle of runny honey, plus extra to serve
• 75g (2½oz) salted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
• 4 large carrots, cut into rounds no thicker than a pound coin
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Equipment:
• Large baking tray, roughly 38 x 27cm (15 x 10½in), lined with baking parchment
• 22cm (8½in) diameter round plate
Upside Down Ratatouille Tart
Serves 6
• 320g (11oz) sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry, roughly 35 x 23cm (14 x 9in), or use homemade
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 50g (1¾oz) salted butter
• 1 tsp oregano leaves, plus extra to garnish
• 1 tsp thyme leaves
• 1 tsp rosemary leaves
• 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• Finely grated zest of ½ unwaxed lemon
• 1 long potato, cut into roughly 5mm (¼in) thick slices
• 2 medium raw beetroots, cut into roughly 1cm (½in) slices
• 1 yellow courgette, cut into roughly 1cm (½in) slices
• 1 green courgette, cut into roughly 1cm (½in) slices
• 2 red onions, cut into roughly 1cm (½in) slices
• 150g (5½oz) Tomato & Olive Sauce (see note)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tomato & Olive Sauce
Makes roughly 300ml (10fl oz)
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 60g (2oz) mixed green and black pitted olives, roughly chopped
• 2 x 400g (14oz) cans chopped tomatoes
• 300ml (10fl oz) vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• Splash of dry white wine
• Pinch of sugar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Words by:
Dominic Franks
Featured in:
June 2026
In his follow-up cookbook One Pan Feasts, which is published this month, Dominic Franks shows just how easy one-pan entertaining can be with tasty savoury pastry treats.
Having revolutionised one-pot cooking in his debut cookbook Upside Down Cooking, Dominic Franks returns to help you create simple and delicious dishes, ideal for enjoying with family and friends.
Here are three of Dom’s favourite one-pan and upside down tart dishes, perfect for all kinds of occasions:
Chicken & Chorizo Tarte Tatin
What I love most about chorizo is the wonderful garlicky, paprika-infused fat and colour it releases when cooking.
The popular Spanish sausage adds both a deep-red hue and a spicy smokiness to this savoury version of the classic tart.
METHOD
- Unroll the sheet of pastry and cut out a 23cm (9in) round; you may have to roll the pastry out slightly to ensure it is large enough. Place it in the fridge until needed.
- Place the ovenproof skillet or pan on a medium heat. Add the chorizo and sauté for roughly 5 minutes on each side until it starts to colour and release its oil. Add the shallots, cut-side down, and scatter over half of the thyme. Cook for 5 minutes, turning halfway, until the shallots start to caramelise in the chorizo oil.
- Next, add the chicken thighs to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes, turning halfway, until coloured on both sides.
- Arrange the ingredients in the pan so you have an even spread of chicken, chorizo and shallots. Season with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6).
- Remove the pastry round from the fridge and drape it over the ingredients in the pan, then carefully tuck in the edge of the pastry. Brush the top with egg and cut a slash with a sharp knife to make a hole for the steam to escape.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is darkly golden and crisp. Allow the tart to sit for 5 minutes. Place a large platter on top of the pan and carefully flip the tart over, right-side up.
- Lift off the pan to reveal the tart, then sprinkle the top with the remaining thyme.
Upside Down Carrot, Honey & Thyme Tarte Tatin
Honey-glazed carrots go beautifully with roasted meats, especially lamb, and work well as a topping in this savoury puff pastry tarte tartin.
It takes a little effort to arrange the carrots, but it’s worth it for the finished result.
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6).
- Unroll the sheet of pastry. Using the 22cm (8½in) round plate as a template, cut the pastry into a disc.
- Slather the chilli jam over one side of the pastry, leaving a narrow border. Place in the fridge until needed.
- Draw around the same plate onto the baking parchment, then place it drawn-side down on the baking tray. Drizzle a little olive oil and honey over the marked round, then dot the butter on top.
- Finish with a sprinkling of thyme, saving some to serve, and season with salt and pepper.
- Place one large carrot round in the centre of the baking paper circle, then working your way outwards, place the carrot slices in overlapping rings around the central slice.
- Start with the larger rounds in the centre, making sure you leave a 2cm (¾in) border around the outer edge – you should have at least 5 rings of overlapping carrot slices.Season with extra salt and pepper.
- Lay the pastry disc over the top of the carrots. Using the back of a fork, press around the edge of the pastry to seal. Score the top in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife and then brush with egg.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to sit on the tray for 5 minutes. Lay a piece of baking parchment on top, followed by a chopping board or plate, and carefully flip it over. Remove the tray and peel off the backing paper.
- Finish with a sprinkling of the reserved thyme and a drizzle of honey. Serve cut into slices as a side to roasted lamb, potatoes and veg.
Upside Down Ratatouille Tart
I love experimenting with traditional dishes, especially if it allows me to use up what’s left over in the fridge. With this dish, I’m drifting slightly from the classic and substituting red pepper with beetroot, as that’s what I had to hand. I genuinely believe that you use what you can, and that’s how we evolve in the food world.
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/375°F/Gas 4). Unroll the sheet of pastry and set aside.
- Mark out a large rectangle on the baking paper, the same size as the pastry, and place it drawn-side down on the baking tray.
- Drizzle generously with half of the olive oil and dot all over with small knobs of butter. Sprinkle with the oregano, thyme and rosemary, followed by a dusting of paprika. Scatter over the lemon zest.
- Leaving a 2cm (½in) border, arrange the vegetables in four overlapping rows within the drawn rectangle on the baking paper. Each row should butt up against the next one, without overlapping. (You can arrange the vegetables randomly or in groups, depending on your preference.)
- Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle over the remaining olive oil.
- Carefully spoon the tomato and olive sauce over – little dollops of sauce spread with the back of a spoon will help to ensure you don’t move the rows of vegetables.
- Drape the pastry carefully over the sauce-topped veg. Using the back of a fork or teaspoon, press around the edges of the pastry to seal. Score the top in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife and then brush with egg.
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp.
- Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to sit on the tray for 10 minutes. Lay a piece of baking parchment on top, followed by a chopping board, and carefully flip the tart over in one swift move.
- Remove the tray and peel off the backing paper. Scatter over a few oregano leaves and cut into portions to serve.
Tomato & Olive Sauce
METHOD
- Sauté the onion in a little olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan on a medium heat for roughly 6 minutes, until softened. Stir frequently so the onion cooks evenly. Add the garlic and half of the fresh and all of the dried oregano and cook gently for another 4 minutes, or until the onion starts to colour. Stir in the chopped olives.
- Pour in the canned tomatoes, then refill the cans with the stock and add to the pan to remove any “tomatoey” residue. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, white wine, and sugar, then season well with salt and pepper.
- Allow the sauce to come to the boil, then turn the heat down to the lowest setting and let it gently bubble and simmer away for at least 2 hours, until thickened. It should reduce by half, if not more. Stir in the remaining fresh oregano at the end and leave to cool.
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