Well, I'm changing it up a bit today! I made a savory tart for a family get together and it turned out beautifully.
The first component of this delicious tart is the pie crust. Pie crust is one of the most simple things you can make. A few tricks and tips can turn a good pie crust into a great pie crust. There are only 4 to 5 ingredients needed in a pie crust; Flour, salt, butter or shortening, and water. Many recipes call for a mixture of shortening and butter. I find myself, more often than not, without shortening in my pantry. I have made many a pie crust sans shortening and have always been pleased with the results. The key concept in making crust is KEEP EVERYTHING COLD. The goal is to end up with a flaky, melt in your mouth crust, which can only be achieved by keeping everything cold. The cold butter gets chopped up by the food processor into tiny pea sized bits, which melt and steam once in the oven, creating layers. My go-to pie crust recipe is from Alton Brown, which I've adapted for this recipe.
Pie Crust
Makes enough for one 9-inch tart
Ingredients:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
9 ounces all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons ice water
About 30 ounces dried beans, or pie weights for blind baking
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut butter into small cubes. Place the butter, the flour, and the food processor blade in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
Place flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the cold blade. Pulse to mix. Add the butter. Pulse about 20 times until the butter has been chopped up into tiny pea sized bits. Slowly add half the water, pulsing to combine. Once the mixture holds together when squeezed in your hand, the dough is ready. It may look a but dry and crumbly, but it will come together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Press into a 9-inch loose bottomed tart pan.
Makes one 9-inch tart
Ingredients:
1 par-baked pie crust
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions
1 tablespoon brown sugar
4 medium red potatoes
140 grams goat cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
200 grams creme fraiche
3 eggs
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and the olive oil. Thinly slice the onions and add to the butter and oil mixture. Cook over medium low heat for about 15 minutes. Once slightly browned, add the brown sugar and about 1/4 cup water. Reduce and continue to cook about 10 minutes until caramelized. Set aside.
Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes, just till potatoes are soft. Once cool enough to handle, thinly slice the potatoes.
In a medium bowl, combine the creme fraiche, eggs and thyme.
To assemble the tart, place half of the onions on the bottom of the pie crust. Sprinkle with half of the goat cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese. Layer the potatoes, slightly overlapping each other. Pour the creme fraiche mixture over the potatoes. Top with remaining onions, goat cheese and Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 35 minutes, until slightly puffed and golden brown.
The first component of this delicious tart is the pie crust. Pie crust is one of the most simple things you can make. A few tricks and tips can turn a good pie crust into a great pie crust. There are only 4 to 5 ingredients needed in a pie crust; Flour, salt, butter or shortening, and water. Many recipes call for a mixture of shortening and butter. I find myself, more often than not, without shortening in my pantry. I have made many a pie crust sans shortening and have always been pleased with the results. The key concept in making crust is KEEP EVERYTHING COLD. The goal is to end up with a flaky, melt in your mouth crust, which can only be achieved by keeping everything cold. The cold butter gets chopped up by the food processor into tiny pea sized bits, which melt and steam once in the oven, creating layers. My go-to pie crust recipe is from Alton Brown, which I've adapted for this recipe.
Pie Crust
Makes enough for one 9-inch tart
Ingredients:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
9 ounces all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons ice water
About 30 ounces dried beans, or pie weights for blind baking
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut butter into small cubes. Place the butter, the flour, and the food processor blade in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
Place flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the cold blade. Pulse to mix. Add the butter. Pulse about 20 times until the butter has been chopped up into tiny pea sized bits. Slowly add half the water, pulsing to combine. Once the mixture holds together when squeezed in your hand, the dough is ready. It may look a but dry and crumbly, but it will come together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Press into a 9-inch loose bottomed tart pan.
Line the tart with a layer of foil and fill the tart with the weights of your choice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove weights and continue to cook another 10 minutes. Cool.
Potato Tart with Goat Cheese and Caramelized OnionsMakes one 9-inch tart
Ingredients:
1 par-baked pie crust
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions
1 tablespoon brown sugar
4 medium red potatoes
140 grams goat cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
200 grams creme fraiche
3 eggs
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and the olive oil. Thinly slice the onions and add to the butter and oil mixture. Cook over medium low heat for about 15 minutes. Once slightly browned, add the brown sugar and about 1/4 cup water. Reduce and continue to cook about 10 minutes until caramelized. Set aside.
Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes, just till potatoes are soft. Once cool enough to handle, thinly slice the potatoes.
In a medium bowl, combine the creme fraiche, eggs and thyme.
To assemble the tart, place half of the onions on the bottom of the pie crust. Sprinkle with half of the goat cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese. Layer the potatoes, slightly overlapping each other. Pour the creme fraiche mixture over the potatoes. Top with remaining onions, goat cheese and Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 35 minutes, until slightly puffed and golden brown.
The potato tart with goats cheese looks absolutely delicious, I could almost eat the screen! You are surely an excellent cook.
ReplyDeletethis looks amazing! i love your blog by the way, everything looks delicious and so beautiful! :)
ReplyDeleteAw thank you Becky! It is really nice to hear that!!!!
ReplyDeleteand thanks to you too Mr. Sports!! I don"t know how good your screen would taste though! :)