Requiring few ingredients this recipe is surprisingly easy and really makes the most of one of Britain’s sidelined vegetables
Serves 4
PREP: 50MINS
COOK: 30MINS
300g puff pastry, thawed if frozen
75g butter
500–600g mixture of small to
medium sized onions and shallots
1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
75g crumbled Caerphilly cheese
- Heat the oven to 200˚C.
- Peel the onions and shallots. Slice the onions in half from root to tip.
- Melt the butter in a 23-25cm heavy non-stick tin or frying pan which can be placed in the oven.
- Place the onions cut side down and the shallots in the butter – they should fit snugly. Cook over a low heat for 15-20 minutes until the underside is golden and they yield to the point of a knife.
- Carefully turn the onions and shallots, season and make sure they are evenly spread over the tin/pan and continue cooking until the onions and shallots are completely soft.
- Sprinkle with the balsamic vinegar and cook for a further 2 minutes until the vinegar starts to reduce.
- Remove the onions and shallots from the heat allowing them to cool for 15-20 minutes.
- Roll out the pastry to a diameter roughly 2cm larger than the tin/pan. Lay it over the shallots and onions and then tuck the pastry around the sides of the tin/pan.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes until the pastry is well puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
- To remove the tarte from the tin place a large serving plate over the top of the tin/pan. Quickly and firmly turn the tin/pan and give it a little shake if necessary. If the onions are stuck to the bottom of the tin/pan use a palette knife to carefully remove them.
- Scatter the tarte with the cheese before serving.