Cheese and Onion Tart is a lighter quiche-y update on a childhood favorite. As many of you know, my family is Italian on my mother's side and English on my Dad's. His family hails from Lancashire in the North of the UK, Wars of the Roses, and all that, and one of the local dishes that came down from his side of the family is a savory deep dish pie stuffed with cheddar cheese and onions. Cheese and Onion Tart owes everything to this pie. Easy to make, like the original the filling is mostly slow-cooked onion and grated cheese but lightened by an egg beaten with a little milk, and baked in a shell, like a quiche. You can either use my pastry dough recipe for the shell or buy one ready-made. Either will work. The tart is arguably best eaten cold, and makes perfect picnic food, though personally I have no problem eating it straight out of the oven with a crisp green salad. It's just yummy! Enjoy!
AuthorAnn Ogden GaffneyCook stirring from time to time until the onions are very soft and almost jammy, but take care thay don't color too much, about 20 - 25 minutes
Preheat oven to 375F/!90C.
Melt the butter in a medium large sauce pot over a medium high flame. when it foams, add the chopped onions, the bayleaf, a sprinkle of salt and a grind or two of black pepper. Stir to mix. Partially cover and lower the flame to medium low. Cook stirring from time to time until the onions are very soft and almost jammy, about 20 - 25 minutes, but take care they don't color too much.
Add 2 tablespoons of the milk to the onions. Bring to a simmer. Stir the grated cheddar cheese into the onions. When it starts to get melty, remove from the heat and set aside until the pie shell is ready..
While the onions are cooking, prepare the pastry shell:
Roll out the pastry to fit an 8" quiche dish. Press into the dish. Trim off any excess pastry and re-roll the trimmings into a ball. Set aside. Lay foil or parchment over the pastry and add weights to support the sides (I use dried beans). Blind bake shell at 375F for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, lift off the foil and weights and brush bottom of the shell with a little of the beaten egg mixture. Return to the oven for 5minutes more. Meanwhile finish the filling.
Beat the egg and remaining milk together. Stir the cheese and onion mixture into the beaten egg milk mixture a little at a time. You don't want scrambled egg! When well blended, using a silicone spatula scape into the prepared pie shell. Smooth the top. Scatter with the breadcrumbs.
If you have made your own pastry, roll out the trimmings and cut into simple decorative shapes like stars and diamonds and lay on top of the tart for extra decoration. Once in position brush the pastry decorations and the edges of the tart with a little milk.
Bake tart on a center shelf for 35-40 minutes or until well browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes or until completely cooled. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 375F/!90C.
Melt the butter in a medium large sauce pot over a medium high flame. when it foams, add the chopped onions, the bayleaf, a sprinkle of salt and a grind or two of black pepper. Stir to mix. Partially cover and lower the flame to medium low. Cook stirring from time to time until the onions are very soft and almost jammy, about 20 - 25 minutes, but take care they don't color too much.
Add 2 tablespoons of the milk to the onions. Bring to a simmer. Stir the grated cheddar cheese into the onions. When it starts to get melty, remove from the heat and set aside until the pie shell is ready..
While the onions are cooking, prepare the pastry shell:
Roll out the pastry to fit an 8" quiche dish. Press into the dish. Trim off any excess pastry and re-roll the trimmings into a ball. Set aside. Lay foil or parchment over the pastry and add weights to support the sides (I use dried beans). Blind bake shell at 375F for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, lift off the foil and weights and brush bottom of the shell with a little of the beaten egg mixture. Return to the oven for 5minutes more. Meanwhile finish the filling.
Beat the egg and remaining milk together. Stir the cheese and onion mixture into the beaten egg milk mixture a little at a time. You don't want scrambled egg! When well blended, using a silicone spatula scape into the prepared pie shell. Smooth the top. Scatter with the breadcrumbs.
If you have made your own pastry, roll out the trimmings and cut into simple decorative shapes like stars and diamonds and lay on top of the tart for extra decoration. Once in position brush the pastry decorations and the edges of the tart with a little milk.
Bake tart on a center shelf for 35-40 minutes or until well browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes or until completely cooled. Enjoy!
