Preparation:
1. Melt butter in a 10-12 inch diameter pan with sloping sides. Add sugar and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until sugar melts and becomes deep amber colored. Place half of the apples, cut side up and touching, in the bottom of the pan.
2. Arrange remaining apples, peeled side up, over apples in pan. Cover bottom of pan with apples and place a lid on top. Cook slowly over medium heat about 25 minutes until apples become juicy and tender. Uncover pan and continue to simmer apples for about 35 minutes, until they are very tender and the juice in the pan is reduced to a thick caramel.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll out pastry sheet to 1/4 inch thick and cut into a circle to fit over apples in pan. Tuck edge of pastry down into pan, covering apples completely. Bake about 35 minutes until crust is golden brown and puffed. Cool tart in pan about 5 minutes. Invert serving plate on top of pan. Grasp both plate and pan (or pan handles) with hot pads, and turn them over together. Gently lift the pan from the plate as the apples drop down over the puffed pastry. Serve warm. | 