French Onion and Bacon Tart

Recipe: French Onion and Bacon Tart

Ingredients

For the Crust:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
8 Tbs unsalted butter, chilled
2 – 3 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

4 ounces of bacon in slices
2 medium white onions
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp fresh thyme, chopped
4 large eggs
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

First prepare the crust. Cut the butter into cubes and keep refrigerated so it is very cold. Add the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Pulse 2 times to combine well. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse 10 to 15 times so the mixture is course and butter is cut into the dry ingredients well. Add 2-3 tablespoons of ice water and run the processor just until a ball forms and comes together and immediately turn off the processor. Grease a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Add the dough in pieces to the tart pan and press into the tart pan taking your time to make sure the dough is even and securely pressed in place. Set the tart on a plate and freeze the tart for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Now prepare to partially bake the tart shell. Remove the tart from the freezer after 30 minutes and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Take a piece of aluminum foil and spray it with nonstick spay and place the spayed side down into the tart. Fill the tart lined with aluminum foil with pie weights and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the tart from the oven, remove the foil and weights and return to the oven to bake until golden brown, this will be another 5 to 10 minutes. Once golden brown, remove from the oven and set aside on a wire rack and leave the oven on.

Meanwhile prepare the filling while the crust is baking. First slice the bacon into small pieces and cook the bacon in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the crisped bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain. Leave the bacon fat in the pan.

Slice the onions in half lengthwise and then in slices horizontally. Add the sliced onions to the same pan with the bacon fat and sauté the onions over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes. The low heat will prevent the onions from browning but will allow them to release their juices and become very soft. Meanwhile in a medium bowl combine the half and half, thyme and pepper and whisk until combined. Add the onions to the egg mixture and stir until just incorporated. Pour the egg mixture into the baked tart shell, sprinkle the top with the cooked bacon and return to the oven to bake for 20 to 25 minutes and the filling feels firm to the touch.

Remove the tart from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then remove the tart from the tart pan, slice into wedges and serve.

Recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen http://www.americastestkitchen.com/

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