Tarte Tatin

To make pastry:

• Place the flour and salt in a food processor and process once to mix. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, pulsing five to eight times.
• Add 5 tablespoons ice water and pulse just until the pastry begins to hold together, not more than nine to ten times.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon water if the pastry seems dry.
• Transfer the pastry to a work surface covered with a silicone pastry mat and knead it gently just until it forms a ball. Flatten the ball, place it on the mat, cover it with a bowl so it doesn't dry out and let it sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured pastry mat to form an 11 1/2 inch round, 1/4" thick.
• Transfer the pastry on the pastry mat to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375°.
• Peel, halve, and core apples.  Place in bowl of water and lemon juice.
• Spread the butter evenly over the bottom of a 8-inch non-stick, oven-proof skillet. Sprinkle 4T sugar evenly over the butter, then arrange the apple halves on top of the butter.  Begin at the outside edge and stand the halves on their sides, facing in one direction with stem ends toward the center. Pack the apples as close together as possible, gently pushing them together so they are held standing by pressure. Make a second circle of apple halves inside the first, packing them in on their edges as well. Place one apple half, cut side up, right in the center of the second circle to fill in the small space that remains. The idea is to get as many apples into the pan as possible, while keeping them nicely arranged.
• Sprinkle 1 1/2T sugar over the apples.  Add chopped pecans, if desired.
• Place the skillet over medium-low heat and cook the apples in the butter and sugar, uncovered, until the sugar turns golden brown; this will take about 15 mins..  Do not let burn.  As the sugar and butter melt and the apples give up some of their juices, baste the apples occasionally with a turkey baster. The apples may give up a great deal of juice, which can splatter.
• When the cooking juices are deep golden and the apples are nearly cooked through, remove the pastry from the refrigerator and quickly and carefully place it over the apples, gently pushing it down around them, simultaneously easing some of the excess toward the center so that if it shrinks on the sides there will still be enough of it to cover the apples. Using a sharp knife, trim off and discard any extra pastry.
• Note:  Use a rolling pin to move the pastry from the baking sheet to the skillet.
• Place the skillet on a baking sheet. Bake in the center of the oven until the pastry is golden, 45 minutes. Don't be concerned if the juices bubble over; the tart will be more or less juicy, depending on the variety of apple you have used.
• Remove the skillet from the oven; place it briefly over high heat (to absorb any excess moisture and loosen any stuck caramel).  Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, but don't let caramel harden.  Invert a serving platter with a slight lip over the skillet.   Quickly but carefully—the juices will be very hot—flip the two so the crust is on the bottom, the apples are on top, and the juices don't run off onto the floor. Remove the skillet. Should any apples stick, gently remove and reinsert them into their rightful place.
• Allow to cool
• Mix calvados and remaining 1T sugar in a small saucepan.  Cook 'til sugar is dissolved, ~2-3 mins.  Brush the mixture lightly over the apples.
• Serve with creme fraiche