Caramelised
Onion Tartlets with Goats' Cheese and Thyme
Crisp,
light pastry with such a luscious filling – and also lovely as a first course
at a supper party.
Serves : Makes 24
Ingredients:
FOR THE
PASTRY:
6oz / 175g Plain Flour
3oz / 75g Butter, at
room temperature, cut into smallish lumps, plus a little extra for greasing
1½oz / 40g Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano), finely
grated
½ Level tsp Mustard
Powder
Cayenne Pepper
1 Large Egg, beaten
FOR THE
FILLING:
2 Large Spanish Onions, peeled
and finely
chopped
2 x 4oz / 110g Welsh
Goats' Cheese Logs
24 Small Sprigs Fresh Thyme,
Dipped in Olive Oil
1oz / 25g Butter
1 Large Egg
4 floz / 120ml Single Cream
¼ Level tsp Mustard
Powder
Cayenne Pepper
Salt and Freshly
Milled Black Pepper
Instructions:
- First
make up the pastry. Sift the flour into a large
bowl, then add the butter.
- Take
a knife and begin to cut it into the flour until it
looks fairly evenly blended, then add the Parmesan, mustard and a
pinch of cayenne
pepper, plus about 1½ tablespoons cold water to make a smooth dough,
before discarding the knife and bringing it together with your fingertips.
- Then
place the dough in a plastic food bag and put it into the fridge to rest
for 30 minutes.
- In
the meantime, pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 4 / 350°F / 180°C.
- After
that, roll it out as thinly as possible, use the cutter to stamp out 24
rounds and line the tins with them. (The pastry will stand proud of the
rim of the cups to allow for shrinkage.)
- Then
prick the bases and brush with the beaten egg.
- Now
bake on the middle and top shelves of the oven (swapping them over halfway
through to ensure even browning) for about 10 minutes, or until the pastry
is just cooked through, then cool them on a wire rack.
- Meanwhile,
for the filling, melt the butter in a large
frying pan and cook the onions very
gently, uncovered and stirring often, for about 30 minutes, or until they
have turned a lovely golden brown caramel colour. Then leave to cool and
set aside until needed.
- Now
whisk the egg
with the cream
and mustard in
a jug and add some seasoning.
- Next,
spoon a little of the onion mixture into each pastry case, spread it out
evenly and pour the egg mixture over.
- Cut
each cheese
log into 12 thin slices (wiping the knife between slices to cut more
cleanly; the cheese
is quite soft, so you may have to reshape a few slices into rounds).
- Place
a slice on the top of each tartlet, then top with a sprig of thyme and a
sprinkling of cayenne
pepper.
- Bake
for 20 minutes, or until puffy and golden, swapping the tins again halfway
through cooking.
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