Caramelised Onion Tartlets with Goats' Cheese and Thyme
From Delia SmithWhen we made these tartlets for the photography, we couldn't stop eating them! Crisp, light pastry with such a luscious filling – and also lovely as a first course at a supper party.
Makes 24
Ingredients
For the pastry:
6 oz (175 g) plain flour
3 oz (75 g) butter, at room temperature, cut into smallish lumps, plus a little extra for greasing
1½ oz (40 g) Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano), finely grated
½ level teaspoon mustard powder
cayenne pepper
1 large egg, beaten
For the filling:
2 large Spanish onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 x 4 oz (110 g) Welsh goats' cheese logs
24 small sprigs fresh thyme, dipped in olive oil
1 oz (25 g) butter
1 large egg
4 fl oz (120 ml) single cream
¼ level teaspoon mustard powder
cayenne pepper
salt and freshly milled black pepper
Equipment6 oz (175 g) plain flour
3 oz (75 g) butter, at room temperature, cut into smallish lumps, plus a little extra for greasing
1½ oz (40 g) Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano), finely grated
½ level teaspoon mustard powder
cayenne pepper
1 large egg, beaten
For the filling:
2 large Spanish onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 x 4 oz (110 g) Welsh goats' cheese logs
24 small sprigs fresh thyme, dipped in olive oil
1 oz (25 g) butter
1 large egg
4 fl oz (120 ml) single cream
¼ level teaspoon mustard powder
cayenne pepper
salt and freshly milled black pepper
You will also need a 3¼ inch (8 cm) pastry cutter and two 12-hole patty tins with cups measuring 1¾ inches (4.5 cm) at the base, 2½ inches (6 cm) at the top and ¾ inch (2 cm) deep, well greased.
This recipe is taken from How to Cook Book Three.
Method
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.
