Tarte A L'Oignon

Twin Palms Executive Chef Michael Roberts

This is a dinner of onion soup without the soup -- flavors that we have in the bistro favorite are here in pie form. Prepare a composed salad of lightly cooked vegetables, some hardcooked eggs, and crunchy lettuce. Serve it at the same time as the tarte.

8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine

2 Cups all-purpose flour:

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons ice water

2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter

8 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced (about 12 cups)

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/4 teaspoons ground mace

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 cup grated Gruyere Cheese

1 Egg, beaten

Prepare the pastry. Cut the butter into small cubes. Place the flour in a food processor, add the butter, and pulse lightly until the mixture reaches of coarse meal. Add the egg yolk and water and pulse just until the dough begins to form a ball. Divide the dough in half, shape it into 2 disks; wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before using.

While the dough is resting, heat the olive oil over medium heat in heavy-bottom pot. Add the onions, garlic, mace, salt, pepper, and vinegar. Cook stirring occasionally until the onions caramelize and turn a dark golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; mix in the cheese and let cool.

Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and roll out each disk to a 12-inch circle. Line a 10-inch tart pan with one and place it in the freezer for 12 minutes. Place the second circle in the refrigerator. Preheat over to 375 degrees.

Remove the tart pan from the freezer: and fill with the onion mixture. Remove the second pastry round from the refrigerator and lay it over the filling. Trim off the excess dough from around the edge and crimp the two edges together. Prick the surface of the tart in several places with a fork and brush lightly with the beaten egg. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve Hot from the oven.

Thumbnail Photo by Carlos Úbeda / CC BY