Description
Caramelized onion tart with gruyere and thyme brings rustic French elegance to your dinner table. Golden-brown pastry cradles sweet onions and nutty cheese, creating a sophisticated yet comforting dish you’ll savor with pure culinary delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 large onions, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1 pie crust, preferably homemade (blind baked)
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
Seasoning and Flavoring Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Dairy and Finishing Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Create a blind-baked pie crust following a trusted recipe, ensuring a golden, crisp foundation for the tart. Allow the crust to cool completely before proceeding.
- Transform raw onions into a rich, sweet delicacy through patient caramelization. Heat olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium temperature, introducing sliced onions alongside sugar and salt.
- Cultivate deep flavor by stirring onions frequently, watching them gradually reduce and soften. If the pan becomes dry, incorporate a knob of butter to prevent scorching.
- After approximately 30 minutes, introduce balsamic vinegar and lower the heat. Continue cooking, stirring diligently until onions reach a luxurious golden-brown color and develop an intense, sweet complexity.
- Remove the skillet from heat and integrate fresh thyme and cracked black pepper, allowing the aromatic herbs to meld with the caramelized onions.
- Gently fold heavy cream into the onion mixture, creating a luscious, silky texture that will bind the tart’s filling.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, preparing for the final transformation of ingredients.
- Spread the onion mixture evenly across the cooled pie crust, ensuring a uniform layer of caramelized richness.
- Generously shower the surface with grated Gruyere cheese, creating a blanket of melty, nutty goodness.
- Bake the tart until the filling sets and the cheese transforms into a golden, bubbling crown, approximately 15 minutes.
- Allow the tart to rest briefly after removing from the oven, letting the flavors harmonize and settle.
- Serve the tart warm or at room temperature, optionally adorning with a delicate thyme sprig for an elegant presentation.
Notes
- Slow-cook onions on low heat to prevent burning and achieve deep, rich caramelization without rushing the process.
- Use a wide, heavy-bottomed pan for even heat distribution and maximum flavor development during caramelization.
- Choose sweet onions like Vidalia for a more mellow, naturally sweeter tart that complements the Gruyere cheese.
- Add a pinch of sugar while caramelizing to enhance natural onion sweetness and promote golden-brown coloration.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute traditional pie crust with a almond flour or gluten-free pastry base.
- Make ahead and reheat gently to preserve the delicate texture of the caramelized onions and flaky crust.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Appetizer, Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg