Tart Cooling

Originally uploaded by silly.goose

Oh. My. God. This is one of my most favorite things in the whole world. Gillian recently made this tart for a potluck that I went to. She was coming down with a nasty virus that day, poor thing, so she had enough energy to make the tart, but not the potluck. She didn’t get any, so today we’re having a do-over (and the people at the potluck were very impressed — luckily there were no vegans or vegetarians there).

Here is the recipe:

Crust

* 1/2 c. unsalted butter, cold
* 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
* 1/4 c. stone ground cornmeal
* 1/2 t. kosher salt
* 3 oz. cream cheese, cut into 4 chunks
* 2-3 T. ice water

1. Cut the butter into small cubes and freeze for 15 minutes
2. In a food processor with the metal blade, blend flour, cornmeal and salt. Add cream cheese and process for about 20 seconds or until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add butter and pulse until it is pea size. Add ice water 1/2 tablespoon at a time and process for about 30 seconds, until a pinch of dough holds together.
3. Dump the dough directly onto a sheet of plastic wrap and knead until it holds together. Shape into a disk and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (but no longer than three hours, otherwise you’ll need to let it sit out for a while at room temp until you can work with it).

Filling

Prepare while dough is chilling

* 8 slices of thick cut bacon (we sometimes use a little less)
* 1 T olive oil
* 2 lbs. (4 lg) onions, thinly sliced
* 1/2 t. kosher salt
* 1/2 t. fresh thyme (we use at least twice as much; do it to your taste)
* 3/4 c. crumbled goat cheese
* 3-4 T. milk (to brush on the crust after it’s assembled)

1. Dice the bacon into lardons (narrow strips, cutting cross-wise)
2. Saute until half-way cooked. Discard all but 2 T. of bacon fat. Set bacon aside.
3. Add olive oil to bacon fat, and saute onions, adding the salt. Cook onions until golden brown, about 35-45 minutes.*

Assembly

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. On parchment, roll the dough out into a rough circle about 1/8 inch thick, and 14-16 inches in diameter.
3. Lift the parchment and dough onto a baking sheet.
4. Spread the onions over the crust, leaving a 1/2 inch boarder. Sprinkle the bacon, thyme and cheese (we recommend in that order) over the onions.
5. Fold the edges of the crust and brush with milk.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

And voila! You have a gorgeous, rustic, and savory tart. Please enjoy!

* We sometimes like to use the slow process for caramelizing the onions. Cook over very low heat for several hours (anywhere from 2-12). They literally melt, turning to a butter-like consistence. It is well worth the wait!