There are always loads of recipes I'd like to try but lose them before I do. This is where I can record recipes I find interesting and keep notes on my experiments with them.

I have a system that I've adopted for working through recipes:

1 - New recipes are saved to the Experimental Mouffette and is labeled : Untested
2 - As I'm working out the changes I'd like to make (if any) it is labeled : Testing
3 - Once I think I've got the correct formula it is labeled : Test 1
4 - IF I am able to reproduce the effect a second time it is labeled : Test 2 - if I am not able to reproduce the effect, it remains Test 1
5 - The same process as step 4 is used to graduate it to Test 3
6 - Once I have been able to reproduce the effect successfully 3 times, it graduates to my main blog, La Mouffette Gourmande

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Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Savory Tarte Tatin - Testing

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/root-vegetable-tarte-tatin

1 - I've made this once before but took no notes. However, I was interested enough to try it again. I ended up dicing everything instead of leaving them in rounds and it was very good. My homemade puff pastry worked just fine with it, too. I didn't add the vinegar to the hot caramel, so this still has to happen to graduate the recipe to anything. I'll try the full rounds next time as well, just to see. It works perfectly well in an 8" pie plate, but it means I have to reduce the size of the disk of the pastry dough from 12" to something less. Maybe 10"?
2 - This didn't take as long as I thought, so I'll change that. I just need to give time for roasting the veg and then baking the pie. I'm altering the instructions to add some detail. For example, making the caramel, I used my own method then added the vinegar, and it spat a lot! I was expecting it, but it totally is a burning danger, so I want to indicate that. No changes in the ingredients part.

About 2.5hrs

1 medium potato (7oz/200gr), peeled, sliced into ½” rounds
7oz/200gr sweet winter squash, peeled, ½” slices
2 medium carrots (4oz/120gr), peeled, sliced into ½” rounds
1 medium parsnip (4oz/120gr), peeled, sliced into ½” rounds
1 small onion (4oz/120gr), sliced into ½” rounds
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
⅓ cup sugar
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1½ tsps chopped fresh rosemary
1½ tsps chopped fresh sage
4oz fresh goat cheese
1 disk pie dough 
Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to first roast the veg and then to assemble and bake the pie.
Roast the vegetables by .
While prepping the veg, placing a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°. 
Toss potato, squash, carrots, parsnip, and onion with oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper and arrange vegetables in a single layer. Roast until golden around the edges and tender, 30–35 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, prepare the herbs because you'll need to add them immediately after pouring the hot sugar in the pie plate, while it's still hot and sticky.
In a small stainless steel (for the light colour) saucepan, pour in the sugar. Shake the pan to evenly distribute the sugar - it shouldn't be too thick to allow for the sugar to heat evenly.
Without any stirring (!) heat the sugar over low to medium heat until it starts to melt. This will begin at the edges - since this is where it starts to melt it also means this is where caramelization starts. 
Be patient and DON'T turn up the heat - sugar can burn very quickly.
Once the sugar starts to melt around the edges, use a rubber spatula to bring the melted sugar into the middle of the pan.
Gently stir, just enough make sure all the sugar is dissolving.
Once everything has dissolved, continue to slowly cook, watching constantly and closely ('cause it can burn quickly), until you get the colour you want - light caramel colour = sweeter; dark caramel colour is more complex with bitter notes (recommended for this dish). 
Remove from heat and quickly add a pinch of salt and the vinegar but BEWARE the vinegar will spit and pop so don't burn yourself. Swirl the pan to combine and let the vinegar cook off a bit. 
Quickly pour caramel into a 9”-diameter pie pan; tilt and rotate pan to evenly coat bottom with caramel (or as much as you can, don't worry too much). Scatter the minced rosemary and sage across the surface. Set aside.
Set onions aside for the end, and arrange the potatoes, squash, carrots, and parsnips snugly in a single layer on top of the caramel, using smaller carrot and parsnip pieces to fill in any holes. Scatter onion rings over all, and crumble goat cheese over vegetables.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12” (10"?) round. Drape over the vegetables, tucking the edges into the pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Bake until the crust looks dry, in other words that the fat has been absorbed into the dough, about 20 minutes; reduce the heat to 350° and bake until the crust is golden brown, 15–20 minutes.
Let the tart cool 5 minutes before inverting carefully onto a large plate.

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