Inverted artichoke, onion and ham cake

Discover the uniqueness of a recipe that defies expectations: the artichoke and ham upside-down cake . Prepared in Bra's versatile Infinity frying pan , this creation, although a departure from the classic tarte Tatin technique, promises unrivaled culinary delight.

This unconventional interpretation stands out for the exquisite combination of artichokes and ham, which, although not caramelized, fuse their flavors in a harmony that awakens the senses . Bra's Infinity frying pan, with its ability to go from the stove to the oven, becomes the perfect setting for this innovative preparation.

This recipe, although it does not follow the traditional tarte Tatin technique, invites you to explore new horizons in cooking. Experience the creativity and contrasts in every bite of the captivating gastronomic experience that this cake invites us to, which you will see is the easiest to prepare. And if what you want is to make an artichoke tarte tatin in its most traditional form as we know it, you just have to look at the final notes.

Ingredients

• 1 sheet of refrigerated round puff pastry (you can also use shortcrust pastry, if you prefer)
• 10 or 12 artichokes
• 5 slices of Iberian ham
• 1 lemon
• 1 onion
• 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
• Thyme
• Extra virgin olive oil

Bra Infinity Frying Pan

Preparation

1. Prepare a large bowl with water and squeeze a lemon into it. It will help us keep the artichokes with a beautiful color later (the water with lemon will not let them oxidize).
2. We clean the artichokes: we remove the leaves, discarding the outer layers and leaving only the heart. As we get the centers, we leave them in the bowl with water and lemon.
3. Peel the onions, and with the help of a board and knife or using a mandolin, cut the onion into julienne strips (into thin strips).
4. We put the Bra Infinity pan on the heat and a saucepan with water to boil.
5. In the pan, brown the onion in olive oil over low heat, so that it begins to caramelize and become tender, without burning at any time (hence the interest of always keeping the heat low).
6. Once the onion looks tender and somewhat transparent, we remove it on a plate with absorbent paper to remove excess oil, and set aside (if there is not much oil, you can leave it in the same pan... the oil will also help in roasting and cooking artichokes in the oven).
7. While the onion is cooking, boil the artichokes for about 12 minutes in salted water, so that they soften. After that time, we remove them, let them lose some heat so as not to burn ourselves, and dry them carefully with paper or a cotton cloth. We reserve.
8. We return the onion to our BRA Infinity non-stick frying pan with removable handle (that is vital, because it is suitable for the oven), and we distribute it evenly throughout the base of the pan.
9. On top of the onion, we arrange the artichokes, starting from the center we make circles, one next to the other, thus occupying all the spaces on the surface as well. It is important that we place them with the leaves touching the bottom, and the base of the artichokes facing up (the tatin is an inverted cake, so when you turn it over the base will be on top).
10. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the artichokes, followed by a little thyme, salt and pepper.
11. We arrange the stretched ham sheets on top of the artichokes, covering them and covering the entire surface.
12. We arrange the puff pastry on top of the ham, and fold the sides inward.
13. With a fork, prick the puff pastry to prevent it from puffing up excessively in the oven.
14. Remove the mango from the pan and bake for about 20 minutes at 180ºC, until the puff pastry turns golden brown.
15. We remove it from the oven, with the help of a large plate or a flipping lid we turn it over as if it were an omelet and serve.

Grades

• Something that I personally like to do in this cake, to add greater contrast to the salty touch of the ham, is to caramelize the onion well. To do this, apart from cooking it over very low heat for a long time, I invite you to add a splash of honey, or a spoonful of sugar, and let it caramelize before adding the artichokes on top. You will see that the onion is more tender, it contrasts more with the rest of the ingredients, and the cake starts to make a cheeky nod to the traditional artichoke tarte tatin.
• When it comes to pricking the dough, don't be afraid, you should press a little: do it carefully not to break the dough, but it is interesting to prick it to keep the puff pastry at bay.
• We could call this cake tarte tatin by caramelizing the base ingredients. To make a classic tarte tatin, the key is to caramelize the onions and artichokes in the pan before placing the dough on top. To do this, first caramelize a good amount of sugar in the pan (add a few tablespoons and leave it on the heat until it dissolves, without touching it), and then add the onions cut into thin slices and the cooked artichokes. Cook slowly until golden and caramelized, and then you can add the ham, cheese, puff pastry and bake. Tat-chan! Artichoke tarte tatin.