Balsamic onion tart

So basically I had REALLY high hopes for the start of 2013.

I managed to wake up without too much of a hangover, Mr P and I went for a huge big long walk, like what people do in the movies and all. We frolicked by the sea, and talked about healthy living.

We mostly talked about healthy living while drinking Guinness and eating chips.

But we did talk about it.

So I came home to plan a week of fresh, nutritious, New-Yearsy type food and decided that all good, fresh, nutritious type places I have ever eaten in have a tart on the menu.

So tart it was.

Which was fine, and fresh, and nutritious and New-Yearsy, until i realised my version of a tasty tart contains not just cream, but cream, and cheese, and puff pastry.

So not so fresh.

Or nutritious.

Or even terribly New-Yearsy.

But really, really tasty.

So I suggest you make it as soon as you can.

Happy New Year!

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Start off by greasing a tart tin.

You can use oil, you can use butter.

Whatever twists your biscuit.

Line the tin with puff pastry.

I use ready-made, ready rolled puff pastry.

I’m lazy and life is short.

But whatever twists your biscuit.

Prick the pastry with a fork a few times.

Then place a sheet of baking paper over the pastry, and fill the pastry case with baking beans.

I’m not fancy enough to own baking beans, so I used dried marrowfat peas.

Whatever twists your biscuit.

While the pastry is baking in the oven, finely slice an onion…

And some garlic.

Put the onion and garlic in a pan with some balsamic.

I used white balsamic.

You can use the regular kind if you want.

Whatever twists your biscuit.

Add some thyme if you have it.

Panic not if you don’t.

Then bring the pan to the boil…

Allow the onions to simmer away merrily for a while, while you make the rest of the filling.

Tip a 200g carton creme fraiche into a bowl.

I used a jug.

Whatever twists your biscuit.

Whisk in two eggs…

And some salt and nutmeg.

Take the pastry out of the oven and remove the peas/beans/whatever, along with the baking paper…

Then put back into the oven for a few minutes so the base can brown.

Add some sugar to the simmering onions…

Then continue to boil until the vinegar has been absorbed.

Scatter the goats cheese over the pastry…

Then top with the onion mixture.

Working quickly, pour the creme fraiche mixture over the top…

Then put in the oven until the top with golden brown.

Serve with a green salad.

Because everybody knows that cancels out the cream, and the cheese, and the puff pastry.

And, besides, it will REALLY twist your biscuit.

Honest.

Balsamic onion tart
Serves 4. Cooking time 1.5 hours.

1 teaspoon olive oil
320g puff pastry
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
4 sprigs thyme (optional)
100ml balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
200g creme fraiche
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
Half a freshly grated nutmeg kernel
150g goat’s cheese

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and grease a 8 inch tart tin using the oil.
2. Line the tin with pastry.
3. Prick the pastry a few times with a fork, before place baking paper over the top and filling the case with baking beans.
4. Bake the case for 20 minutes, before removing the paper and beans and returning to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
5. Finely slice the onion and garlic.
6. Place the onion, garlic, thyme (if using) and balsamic into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
7. Simmer the onion mixture for about 20 minutes, until all the vinegar is absorbed, stirring the sugar in at the end.
8. Whisk together the creme fraiche, eggs, salt and nutmeg.
9. When the pastry case is out of the oven, scatter with the goats cheese and onion mixture, before pouring over the creme fraiche mix and returning to the oven.
10. Bake for 35 minutes, until golden brown.
11. Serve.

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