Caramelised Onion Tart is the perfect make-ahead meal. It keeps well in the fridge for two or three days and can be frozen and thawed and re-heated when needed.
Caramelised Onion Tart is a great recipe
for vegetarians as well as meat eaters.
It can be served hot, at room temperature (my favourite) or cold and
therefore is easily transportable. It’s one of my life-saving recipes when company is expected. It also
makes a good dish for a street party, a fete or buffet.
Caramelised Onion Tart is easy to make,
particularly if you use ready-made and rolled out pastry. In France, you can
buy pastry rounds which, with a little trimming, just fit into a flan tin. In England you can buy ready made pastry in oblongs, which, with a little fiddling, will also fit into a flan tin. I
have made this tart with homemade pastry as well, but it’s only worth the
trouble is you have a lot of time and you make excellent pastry. Mine is variable!
What
you need:
Ready-made pastry.
2 large onions or 3 medium sized ones.
2 tablespoons of oil and about an ounce (a
knob) of butter. (The oil keeps the butter from burning.)
3 large eggs
¾ pint of liquid (I use about a cup of
crème fraiche or cream and the rest milk to make it richer.)
1 dash of nutmeg (optional).
1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
About a cup of grated Emmenthal
cheese. (You can substitute any mild
cheese, but Emmenthal compliments the sweetness of the onions.).
Method:
Lightly grease the flan tin and lay the
pastry in it.
Prick the pastry with a fork and brush
lightly with egg.
Allow the pastry to hang over the sides and
trim off excess later.
Blind bake at 200 C or 400 F for 10
minutes.
Remove from oven.
Turn the oven down to 180 C or 350 F.
Meanwhile, in a frying pan, sauté the
onions in the oil and butter over low heat until they are brown and caramelized
but not burnt. (This will take about 25
minutes.).
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and
seasoning.
Add the milk and cream mixture.
Spread the onions in the pastry case.
Sprinkle the grated cheese over the onions.
Now carefully pour the egg and cream
mixture over the top.
Take care to keep it in the pastry case!
Put the tart in the oven and bake for about
25 minutes until the creamy mixture is set.
Cool to room temperature and serve.
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Carefully fit pastry to tin and prick the base.
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Blind Bake for 10 minutes. Mine cracked at little,
but I was able to stick it together while it was still warm.
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Salute the onions in butter and oil until brown and caramelised.
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Beat the eggs, then add milk and cream and seasoning.
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Layer the onions, egg mixture, and cheese in the pastry base.
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Remove from oven when the egg mixture is set and the top is golden.
Enjoy.
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