Pre-heat the oven to 375˚F.

Combine the sugar and water in a 10-inch sauté pan over medium high heat until the sugar has melted and starts to brown. Don’t stir the mixture and don’t walk away at this point, since the speed at which sugar browns increases exponentially. When the sugar is light brown in color, rotate the skillet so that the sugar coats the entire bottom surface and remove it from the heat.

Combine the apples and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a bowl and toss well. Transfer the apples to the skillet, arranging them in a pretty manner on top of the sugar. Dot the apples with butter.

Roll the pastry out to a circle roughly 11- to 12-inches in diameter and drape it over the apples, tucking the edges into the sides of the pan with a wooden spoon as though tucking the apples into bed. Make a small hole in the center of the pastry to vent the pie. Transfer the pan to the oven. (Put a sheet pan on the rack underneath the Tarte Tatin to save your oven from any over spills.)

Bake in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until pastry is nicely browned. Drain off some of the juice from the apples carefully (it will be extremely hot). Let the tart cool slightly and then invert onto a plate, still being careful not to spill any extra hot juice onto your hands.