Daily Loaf

I recently discovered what happens when you hit hot caramelized onions with a sweet, pungent vinegar and add some fresh herbs. The result is a mouthwatering concoction good for flatbread, layered inside quiche, topping grilled burgers, and many other tasty treats. The onions were the inspiration for this recipe, a rich and flaky puff pastry tart with creamy goat cheese and thyme.

Take care to dust your work surface with flour before rolling out the puff pastry, as it tends to stick and cause your rounds to be misshapen. I typically roll it out on a sheet of parchment paper and use a saucer as a stencil, cutting around it with a sharp knife. The less you handle the pastry, and the colder it is when it goes into the oven, the better.

You could also roast fresh garlic cloves until they’re soft and golden, and sub them for the garlic powder in the goat cheese filling if you have an extra hour for prep. I assembled this batch of tarts early in the day, covered them with a moist paper towel and refrigerated them until baking time. It’s an easy and relatively light lunch dish or dinner with a mixed green salad alongside. Plus, since I was only cooking for two, the leftover filling is waiting in the fridge to be stirred into warm penne for dinner later in the week.

Here’s the recipe:

Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tarts

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Salt & pepper to taste
5-6 ounces goat cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons half & half
4 6-inch rounds of puff pastry

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat the butter and oil in a large sauté pan and add the onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, for about 10 minutes or until soft and caramelized. Add the vinegar and thyme, stir and set aside.

2. Whip the goat cheese, garlic, pepper, salt and half & half together with an electric mixer until creamy.

3. Using a knife, score a line 1/4 inch inside the puff pastry rounds to create an edge. Prick the pastry several times inside the circle so that the center won’t rise too much. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the goat cheese mixture inside each circle, leaving a border. Top with 1/4 of the onions on each one.

4. Bake on a parchment lined sheet pan at 425 for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

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