TARTE FINE AUX POMMES

For 6
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

250g flaky pastry (see below)
5 apples
1 tablespoon medium couscous
100 g caster sugar
50g butter

1. Roll out the flaky pastry over 50g of the sugar, and lay on a sheet of baking paper. Prick the tart with a fork. Scatter with the couscous (it will absorb the juice of the apples).
2. Peel the apples, halve them and remove the cores. Slice the apples very thinly and arrange the slices in a rosette pattern.
3. Melt the butter and brush over the tart to glaze. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar and bake in a 180°C oven for 20 minutes.


FLAKY PASTRY
(for 3 tarts, can be frozen)

500g flour
400g butter
Icing sugar

1. Make the flour paste by mixing the flour with 150ml of water and 50g of softened butter. You should have a pliable dough.
2. Knead the remaining butter; it must give up all of its moisture content. Roll the flour dough into a square 1cm thick. Roll the butter out into a square shape and place it in the centre. Close up like a wallet.
3. Roll into a rectangular shape and fold it in three. Chill for 30 minutes and repeat the process in the opposite direction. Do this three times. For a sweet flaky pastry, dust with icing sugar each time you roll out the dough.


RIPAILLES
by Stéphane Reynaud
Acclaimed Parisian chef Stéphane Reynaud writes beautiful recipes that combine his passion for traditional French cooking with his enthusiasm for modern cuisine. His range extends from simple home cooking to more complex, intricate dishes. In Ripailles, which loosely translates into English as 'feast', Stéphane presents the very best of the French kitchen and delves into the origins of French cuisine. With a unique and delicious array of recipes, this is the most comprehensive French cooking collection you will find.