shallot tatin with leftover cheese recipe

You can make this fantastic tart with onion, but the sweetness of the shallots is what makes this recipe particularly delicious. It's ideal over Christmas or New Year – a brilliant use of all those hard bits of leftover cheese.

Serves 6

• 450g shallots
• 175g leftover soft cheese, such as Brie or Camembert
• 40g butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soft brown sugar
• salt and black pepper
• 500g puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6.

Peel the shallots, leaving them whole. Cook in boiling water for 7-10 mins depending on size. Drain and put to one side.

Heat the butter and oil in an ovenproof pan or a frying pan with a detachable handle. When the butter has melted, sprinkle in the sugar and allow it to dissolve gently before adding the shallots. Season well with salt and pepper and allow the shallots to cook until they are a rich golden caramel. Remove from the heat.

Roll out the pastry on a floured board to a circle a bit bigger than the pan. Spread the cheese, cut into thickish slices, over the shallots and lay the pastry over the top, pressing it down slightly all around the edge.

Bake in a preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until risen and golden.

Allow it to cool a little and then put a large serving plate over the pan and invert it quickly so that the shallots are on the top, with the pastry underneath. Serve the tart warm.

This recipe appears on p225 of Sarah's Complete Christmas book