Caramelised Leek and Onion Tart

I don't know what's been happening at the Riverford farms but we seem to be getting white onions every week! My vegetable basket was overflowing, so I decided to make an onion friendly dish to use them up before they go soft.

I called this a tart in my title but I suppose it's really a quiche as it's made in a quiche-like way, and would have been worthy on the quiche making episode of Great British Bake Off. But Delia Smith has a similar recipe and calls it a tart, and you can't argue with Delia!

Tarts and quiches are so simple to make that when I'm stuck for veggie friendly recipes this is normally the one I resort to. I normally have the ingredients in my larder and it only needs a fresh salad as a side. Not to mention the fact that it tastes great warm and cold so I can take some to work for lunch. Flavours tend to dull down a little when food gets cold, so make sure you pack in lots of flavours and season a bit more than usual.

Goats cheese would be a great cheese to use for the filling of this tart. I didn't have any so I went for a bit of freshness but including a leek along with the onions. I included grated mature cheddar into the pastry case and also into the egg mixture so there's a bit of savoury saltiness in there too. I also included thyme and sage in the pastry mixture which complimented the filling really well.

for the pastry

Ingredients

1/4 cup of cold Butter (about 50g) cubed

1/8 cup grated Cheddar Cheese (about 2 tbsp)

1/8 cup vegetable Suet (I use Atora http://www.ukcornershoppe.com/images/Atora%20Veg%20Suet.jpg)

1 cup of plain Flour

1 tsp dried Sage

1 tsp dried Thyme

5 tbsp cold Water

Salt & Pepper

Recipe

Mix together flour, thyme, sage, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the fat (butter, cheese, suet) and rub this into the flour with your fingers until the mixture turns into breadcrumbs. Then add 4 tbsp of cold water and start to bring the mixture together, it should lift off the mixing bowl. If it's too dry, add another tablespoon. Make sure it's not too sticky, and you don't need to knead it, just mould into a ball. Wrap with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. 

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees. Butter your pie dish. When the pastry has chilled, remove it from the fridge onto a floured surface. Roll into a large circle, my pastry ended up being about 3 millimetres thick. Place onto the pie dish and using your knuckles carefully press into the edges. Make sure you don't break the pastry. Roll the excess off the top and make fork holes in the bottom. Blind bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until a nice golden brown colour.

for the filling

Ingredients

8 small Onions, or 2 Spanish Onion, sliced into rounds

1 Leek, sliced into rounds
3 tbsp Butter
cooking Oil
1 tbsp Sugar
Salt & Pepper
2 Eggs, Beaten
100ml Creme Fraiche or Single Cream
2 tbsp grated Cheddar
1 tsp smooth Mustard
Milk (optional)

Recipe
Heat a frying pan with a little bit of cooking oil, then drop the butter in to melt. Add the onions and leeks with some salt and the sugar. The sugar will help the onions to caramelise. Cook on a low heat for 30 minutes stirring occasionally until browned. Put to one side.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the mustard, cheddar and some salt and pepper. Add the creme fraiche and whisk to combine. If it's too thick, add a dollop of milk to thin the mixture out. You want it the consistency of custard.

Fill your pre-cooked pastry case with the caramelised onions, then top with the egg mixture. Bake on a middle shelf in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Best eaten at room temperature or cold.