A tart with no top on - Onion tart

 

 

Firstly, I am interested to see who arrives on this blog entry because of googling and then becoming disappointed when the pictures here are not the ones they are after. Secondly, a tart with its top on in this instance is a pie and having already blogged here and here about the gloriousness of cheese and onion encased in pastry, I decided to go with something which is a little lacking on the pastry front but is nonetheless amazingly tasty.

 

In these straightened times I think a quiche/flan/tart is a good use of reasonably staple ingredients to whip up a meal. It's hearty enough so you don't miss the meat and once you've got the ratio of eggs to cream to filling correct then you can put all manner of sad looking vegetables into it. Not that the onions on this occasion were sad; though they did make me cry for totally different reasons.

 

Those who have read some of my more tarty posts will know I have a penchant for a tin of baked beans with a tart and it is a peculiarity that I have happily passed onto my children. Despite the excellent credentials of this tart, taken from Richard Corrigan's 'The Clatter of Forks and Spoons', I have not let the presence of a Michelin star dissuade me from getting out the tin opener. However, what I will say is I am also captivated by the serving suggestion from the recipe, that is "some nice piquant Spanish olives, or even a spoonful of tapenade and some crusty bread it makes a great summer supper". Sounds amazing. Just need the sun now and maybe a cheeky glass of chilled Pinot Grigio or something. Yum.

 

Onion Tart taken from 'The Clatter of forks and Spoons' by Richard Corrigan

 

Makes a 21cm tart, serving Lola, Finn, Mum and Dad twice

 

For the pastry:

 

175g plain flour

5g cornflour

1/2 tsp salt

120g butter

2 egg yolks

 

For the filling:

 

4 large onions

75g butter

2 tbsp olive oil

a handful of marjoram (I used two teaspoons of dried thyme)

6 eggs plus an extra for eggwashing the pastry

250g aged mature cheddar

 

Method:

 

 

 

Peel, halve and slice the onion thinly. Put the butter and the olive oil into a heavy bottomed casserole or suitable pot and add the onions, season and allow them to cook on a low heat for about an hour. Ultimately the onions should be very soft and translucent, but not coloured.

 

Add the majoram (thyme) about five minutes before the end of cooking. Once cooked, allow the onions to cool and the herbs to infuse.

 

Whilst the onions are cooking and cooling, make the pastry. Rub the fat and the flours together with the salt, or blitz in the food processor. until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Mix in the egg yolks and a tablespoon or two of ice cold water (you may need a tablespoon more) and allow the mixture to come together. Form the mixture into a ball, wrap in cling film and put in the fridge to rest for at least 20 minutes but more like 30.

 

Heat the oven to 160c/Gas 3.

 

Roll the pastry out onto a floured board big enough to line a prepared a 21cm diameter loose bottomed flan tin with 3cm sides if possible.

 

Press the pastry gently into the tin, taking care not to stretch the pastry. If it cracks, just press it together again. Leave the edges over hanging if you like to compensate for shrinkage.

 

Bake the pastry case blind for about 45 minutes, then remove the foil/paper/beans and bake for another five minutes, until the pastry is dry. Brush the whole of the inside of the pastry with eggwash.

 

Turn the oven upto 180c.

 

 

Bit full maybe...

 

By this time, your onions should be cool. Beat the eggs and cream together, stir in the cheese and season. Mix with the cooled onions then pour the mixture into the flan case. Return it carefully to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or so then lower the temperature to 160c for another 40 minutes, until the top is pale golden but with the faintest quiver in the centre.

 

Remove form the oven and leave to cool for an hour or so until the filling sets further.

 

When cooled, trim the edges if you left the pastry overhanging and push the tart out of the flan tin and slide it onto a board or serving dish.

 

 

 

Cut into slices and serve with baked beans