Balsamic braised onion tart with blue cheese and black pepper
My first job in food was at a deli on Great Portland Street in London. Adjoining it was a bakery where, every afternoon, chef Angus would make puff pastry for the following day’s croissants, some filled with gruyere cheese, others homemade almond paste or Valhrona chocolate. Sadly, I have neither Angus’s giant roller nor his patience, but there are enough really good ready-made all-butter pastries in shops that it need not stop you making a deliciously flaky, homemade tart.
Balsamic braised onion tart with blue cheese and black pepper
For a really fast tart, omit the cream, eggs and blind-baking – just strew it with the onions, cheese, thyme and some olive oil. You will need a 28cm springform tart tin.
Prep 15 min
Cook 1 hr
Serves 4-6
Cook 1 hr
Serves 4-6
About 320g all-butter puff pastry, in a sheet or block – enough to to cover a 28cm tart case
Flour, for dusting
30g butter, plus more for greasing
5 medium red onions, or a mix of red and white (about 600g)
2 tbsp olive oil3 eggs, whisked
1 tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar½ tsp caster sugar1 small bunch fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
200g mild blue cheese, such as Oxford Blue or Stichelton
160g double cream160g creme fraicheSalt and black pepper
Flour, for dusting
30g butter, plus more for greasing
5 medium red onions, or a mix of red and white (about 600g)
2 tbsp olive oil3 eggs, whisked
1 tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar½ tsp caster sugar1 small bunch fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
200g mild blue cheese, such as Oxford Blue or Stichelton
160g double cream160g creme fraicheSalt and black pepper
Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas 6.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is wide enough to cover the tart tin comfortably, with at least a 1cm overhang (or use a ready-rolled sheet). Grease the tart tin and then line with the pastry, pricking it all over with a fork. Chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the onions. Do not cut off the root: just peel them like an orange and cut away any straggling strands from the base. Cut each onion into five to six even wedges. Heat the oil and butter in a wide, deep frying pan on a medium-high heat and, when hot, add the onionwedge wedges, season well, and saute for 12-15 minutes.
Now remove the pastry from the fridge, line with greaseproof paper and fill to the brim with baking beans. Bake the tart shell for 20 minutes, then remove the beans and paper and lightly brush the pastry shell all over with a little beaten egg. Put the tin back in the oven and bake for eight to 10 minutes, until golden.
The onions should now be caramelised beautifully. Drizzle with balsamic, sugar, half the thyme and two tablespoons of water, and cook for a further eight to 10 minutes, until the onions are soft and dark. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
Beat the creams together, add the remaining eggs, whisk with the rest of the thyme and season well with salt and pepper. Arrange the onion wedges on the base of the tart shell, crumble over nuggets of the blue cheese, pour over the cream mix and bake for 25-30 minutes.
When cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool for five to 10 minutes. Serve still warm with a crisp chicory and toasted walnut salad, or a simple green salad.
And for the rest of the week
This tart is very good eaten at room temperature and lasts several days. Whizz any leftover blue cheese with sherry vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil – a wonderful dressing for the last of the year’s bitter leaves. Finally, make a simple sweet tart with any leftover pastry – delicious filled with chocolate ganache or rhubarb and a great excuse to eat up the leftover creme fraiche.
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