Fennel Tatin

Name: Fennel Tatin
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Fennel 2.9 lbs; Puff pastry (1 round roll) 8.1 oz; Butter 3 ½ tbsp; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1 oz; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Butter for the baking pan to taste

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315

Calories per serving

Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 315
Carbohydrates g 19.3
of which sugars g 2
Protein g 5.7
Fats g 23.9
of which saturated fat g 11.04
Fiber g 4.2
Cholesterol mg 31
Sodium mg 1072

Difficulty: Very easy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Serving: 6
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Alright, so here's the deal with this classic French fennel tart tatin. It flips the usual sweet script—I'm talking about the apple tarte tatin—on its head, making it a really tasty savory treat. French cooks love to mix it up, and this version with fennel is seriously good. Instead of fruit, you get layers of caramelized fennel tart tucked under flaky crispy puff pastry, soaking up all those moist juices and a hint of caramel. The filling? It's so tender yet packs a punch. Pretty simple, right?

Now, you know how French buffets sometimes do similar tarts with scallions or even tomatoes and feta? Well, this version's unique, with a slightly anise taste that totally stands out. It's the type of dish where people will wonder what's inside when you cut into it—pretty much surprising them every time. This savory tarte tatin blends old-school pastry tricks with a fresh twist. And listen, it’s both familiar and different, which is great.

This fennel tart tatin keeps things lively at any brunch or get-together. It’s got that wow factor—flipping the tart over right at the table. People see the golden veggies and breathe in that tangy aroma. Plus, unlike a sweet tatin, this puff pastry tart works way, way better as a starter or part of a bigger spread. Especially when you want to impress those friends who think they've tried it all.

French home cooks love experimenting, and you know what? Some even mix fennel with onions for more depth, turning it into a fennel and onion tart that’s just hard to resist. The puff pastry stays crispy and light, holding all those soft, tender vegetables underneath. It’s like a celebration of French food’s playful side—mixing tradition with a splash of fun. Whether you call it a caramelized vegetable tart or just a really really good idea, this dish shows how a simple twist, like swapping apples for fennel, makes a meal feel special and new. Perfect example of how small changes bring big excitement to your culinary adventures. For sure.

How to prepare Fennel Tatin

To prepare the fennel tatin, start by cleaning the fennel. After removing the base and the fronds 1, cut them in half: set one half aside 2 and further cut the remaining halves again 3.

In a pan, add the butter 4 and let it melt before adding the fennel 5 and cooking them for 7-8 minutes over medium-high heat, covered with a lid 6.

Flip the pieces 7 and continue cooking for another 15 minutes over slightly lower heat 8. In the meantime, butter a 9-inch mold well 9.

Arrange the fennel inside by placing the quarters and the half in the center 10. Sprinkle with grated cheese (11 and 12),

season with salt and pepper 13, then place a round sheet of puff pastry inside, already unrolled 14. Fold the puff pastry inwards to create a border 15.

Pierce the surface with a fork 16. Bake the fennel tarte tatin in a static oven preheated to 392°F, for about 20 minutes 17. Let it cool for 10 minutes before flipping and serving it 18.

Storage

The fennel tatin can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Freezing is not recommended.

Advice

As an alternative to puff pastry, you can use shortcrust pastry as the base for your fennel tatin: it will be much crunchier and cookie-like.
For an extra touch of flavor and a more stringy effect, add or replace the Parmesan with Emmental cheese. In this case, remember to unmold the tatin after 5 minutes to prevent the cheese from sticking.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

Fennel Tatin

PRESENTATION

How to prepare Fennel Tatin

Storage

Advice

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