Cheeseboard and Onion Tart

You know those times when you’re being posh and sophisticated, serving a well chosen selection of cheeses on a proper cheeseboard with the correct cheese knives?

No?

Me neither, but there might be times when you have cheese in the fridge that could be used in a tart.  Most cheeses could probably be used in this recipe but I’d recommend cheese that packs a punch.  I’ve made it with mature cheddar, brie and stilton as a combination and also a smoked cheese, stilton, brie and cheddar as a combo.

I don’t own a cheeseboard and I have just one knife that is allegedly for cheese.

You’ll need a tart tin.  This recipe is notionally for a 23cm tin but both times i’ve made it I’ve kept the pastry quantity the same and just upped the filling amount.

Ingredients

• 250g plain flour
• 125g cold cubed unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp salt (I forgot this)
• 2 onions (I love onion so used more), sliced into rings or half rings
• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 eggs
• 284ml double cream
• 250g cheese, any cheese but the tastier the better

Method

1. Put some ice cubes in some water.  Pastry making requires coldness.  I have only learned this through watching endless baking shows.  I avoided pastry for years because it scared me and crappy mince pie making scarred me.
2. Put the flour, butter and salt in a food processor and pulse until your mixture looks like fine crumbs.
3. Carefully add about 60ml of the cold water.  Add it slowly whilst pulsing until the mixture starts to come together as a dough.
4. Shape it into a fat, smooth disc and pop in a plastic bag in the fridge for at least 20 mins.
5. This can be done a few days in advance.  You can also freeze dough as well.
6. While your pastry is in the fridge, butter your tart tin.
7. Also while your pastry is in the fridge soften the onion slices in oil on the hob, medium heat, until the onions are translucent and turning golden - this should take at least ten minutes.
8. Heat oven to 180C (fan oven).
9. Roll out pastry on a floured surface until it’s big enough to line your tart tin.  My recipe says line the tin with baking parchment but I didn’t bother.
10. Line your tin with the pastry.  Use your knuckles to gently push the pastry into place.
11. You need to choose what to do with the pastry hanging over the edge.  Pastry shrinks which is why many people advise leaving the excess pastry just hanging. Personally I find it easier to remove the pastry at this stage.  Trying to remove the cooked pastry is a faff but you might want to experiment.  Or you might have your own preference.
12. Prick the pastry with a fork - this stops the pastry puffing up.
13. Line the pastry with baking paper - cake liners work well here - and fill with baking beans or whatever you would normally use (beans or rice - obviously not baked beans, baking beans).
14. Bake on a baking sheet for 15 mins.
15. Remove from oven and carefully remove baking parchment and baking beans.
16. Put back in the oven for about 10 minutes, or longer until the case is a pale golden colour.
17. Turn the oven down to 160C (fan)
18. While the case is cooking beat eggs and cream adding salt and pepper as required.  For bigger tart tins add an egg and use about 440ml cream.
19. Crumble, chop or pull cheese into smallish (penny-sized) bits and scatter in case.
20. Scatter softened onion.
21. Pour in egg/cream mix.  The baking shows recommend doing this with tart on an oven shelf. I’ve tried this and get myself in a muddle because as the oven shelf is pulled out of the oven partially it is no longer properly horizontal.  I take an oven shelf out of the oven and with the baking tray and tart tin on the oven shelf I pour the mix in.  I find it easier to manoeuvre an oven shelf and keep it level than I do just a tart tin on a baking tray.
22. Bake for 40 minutes.
23. Can be eaten warm or cold.
24. Keeps for a few days in the fridge.