Spiced Apple Tarte Tatin

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lay puff pastry sheet on a piece of parchment paper. (If your box of pastry comes with two sheets, unfold both and lay them on top of each other.) Roll pastry to an 11-inch square. Cut an 11-inch round from the pastry (reserve remaining pastry for other use). Cover with plastic wrap; chill until needed.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron (or other heavy, ovenproof) skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle sugar evenly over butter. Add as many apples, cut side down, as will fit in a single layer. Slice the remaining apple pieces into thirds, and tuck them in around apples in skillet. Raise heat to medium-high; cook until liquid is bubbling and lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, continue cooking 4 minutes more. Sprinkle apples evenly with five spice powder and salt. Turn to rounded side down, cook 1 minute (liquid should be thickened and deeply golden). Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes.

Cover apples with pastry round, tucking edges down into skillet. Cut two slits in center of pastry. Bake until pastry is golden and cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes (not more). Run a knife around edge of tart. Carefully but quickly invert onto a serving plate.