This upside

Scrolling through your social media feed, you've no doubt seen all manner of golden puff pastry nestled over a variety of sweet and savory fillings and baked to flaky perfection. It’s no surprise this unusual baking method has taken the internet by storm. The process is easy, the variations are endless and the result is a handheld treat that’s crisp, buttery and completely addictive.

The best part about the upside-down pastry hack is how foolproof it is. Because the pastry is cooked on top of the fillings, it bakes up flawlessly golden and crisp, never soggy or flimsy, every time.

And you can take them in any direction you want, no matter what you’re craving. In the mood for something sweet? Fill your pastry with Nutella and bananas or honey and apples. How about a savory option for a cocktail party? Try caramelized onions and thyme or little sausages and mustard. There’s no limit to what you can do on a single sheet pan.

That said, there are a few best practices to ensure an Instagram-worthy result every time.

Thaw your puff pastry overnight in the refrigerator. This is the best way to ensure the dough is completely thawed (which prevents breaking), without being gummy. If you forget to thaw your pastry overnight, thaw it at room temperature for about 90 minutes before working with it.

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. This is nonnegotiable. Since we start by placing the pastry “fillings” directly on the baking sheet, they must be on parchment paper or they will stick. Without the paper, your fillings will be left on the baking sheet when you lift the pastry from the pan.

Use a fork to seal the edges of the pastries. This ensures that your puff pastry doesn’t lift and it prevents your filling from completely oozing out. Note, some fillings may still trickle out (honey, softer cheeses), so don’t sweat it.

Brush your pastry with an egg wash before baking. An egg wash is a simple combination of egg and water and, when brushed on pastry before baking, it guarantees a polished, golden crust.

Don’t forget seasonings. When making savory pastries, don’t forget the aromatic herbs, salt and black pepper.

Cool your pastries before flipping. To prevent sticking and to ensure the fillings adhere to the dough, cool your pastries for about 2 minutes before flipping and serving.

Use a flat spatula to flip your pastries. This is especially important for getting under stickier ingredients; you want them on the pastry, not the parchment paper.

Get creative with the fillings, try:

Not your average roasted potatoes:Try the viral crispy garlic and Parmesan spuds

Puff pastry is best when it’s hot and fresh from the oven. You can prep these pastries up to 12 hours in advance and refrigerate them. But bake just before serving. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 300 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 10 minutes. You can also reheat your leftover pastries in an air fryer for about 3 minutes.

Note: One sheet of puff pastry makes 6 upside-down pastries. The recipe below includes three variations: caprese, peach pie and cream cheese and olive. You can make all three, choose on, or make some of each. If you make all three options below, you will have 18 pastries.

Makes: 18 pastries (12 savory and 6 sweet)

Ingredients:

Pastry:

Caprese filling:

Peach pie filling

Cream cheese and olive filling

Instructions:

How to make a summery peach tart:Galette is an easy, breezy counterpoint to pie

Questions or comments? Email the culinary team at [email protected].