French Onion Rustic Tart
Sweet onions sautéed until tender are wonderful on their own but stir in those flavors found in French onion soup, layer with creamy ricotta and Gruyère then bake in a flaky, buttery pastry crust and you might have a slice of savory heaven!
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Food processor
- 2 Large rimmed baking sheets
Ingredients
- For the onions:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large sweet onions, sliced thin – about 4 cups
- ¼ cup good white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- For the filling:
- 1-½ cups 1-½ cups ricotta cheese
- 1-¼ cups shredded Gruyère cheese, divided
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- For the crust:
- 1-½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, 1-½ sticks
- ⅓ cup cold water
- 1 extra-large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.
- For the onions:
- Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are tender and translucent, about 30 minutes.
- Add the white wine and cook until the wine is completely absorbed into the onions, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Toss in the thyme, brown sugar, kosher salt and pepper along with the molasses. Stir to mix into the onions. Set aside to cool completely.
- For the filling:
- In a small bowl add the ricotta cheese with 1 cup of the Gruyère plus the kosher salt and black pepper. Stir to blend together.
- For the pastry crust:
- Cut the butter into cubes and chill in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Combine the flour, kosher salt, and sugar in a food processor, mix for about 5 to 10 seconds.
- Scatter the cold butter cubes on top of the flour and pulse about 10 times, just until the butter is the size of peas.
- Add the cold water and process for about 10 to 15 seconds, or just until the water is blended into the flour and butter. Don’t over process or your pastry will be tough. The pastry dough will be crumbly in appearance.
- Turn out the mixture on a lightly floured surface and lightly dust your hands with flour. Gently gather the dough together and divide into 4 equal pieces, about 4-¼ ounces each. Roll out the dough into a round about ⅛” thick. Turn the dough occasionally as you roll it so the dough doesn’t stick to the surface, adding a light dusting of flour as needed.
- To assemble the tarts:
- Transfer each round to large, rimmed baking sheets, lined with parchment paper, with 2 rounds of dough per sheet so that you have room to work.
- Divide the ricotta filling between each round of dough, placing it in the center and spreading slightly, leaving about 2” around the edges.
- Top with the sautéed onions, dividing between each tart.
- Pull the dough up over the edge of the ricotta filling and onions in small sections, folding as you go.
- Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon water. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the egg wash over the pastry dough
- Bake in a 375-degree oven for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden. Sprinkle the remaining Gruyère cheese over the top of the tarts. Bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Notes
Serve warm or at room temperature. The tarts can be made ahead and reheated in a 350-degree oven for about 12 minutes, or until warmed through.
Refrigerate any leftover tarts.