FRENCH ONION TARTS

Just because you’re spending NYE in your sweatpants, doesn’t mean you can’t be fancy. May I suggest these French onion tarts, with a spelt puff pastry, Swiss cheese (couldn’t find Gruyère), and caramelized onions. They’re cocktail-sized and perfect with a glass of pet nat or whatever sparkly you prefer.

I made a bunch of these recently and knowing that it doesn’t make sense to gather right now, dropped some off with neighbours and friends. That said, if you make these and want to keep them to yourself, I won’t tell 🤫

FRENCH ONION TARTS

Hello! This is not a tested recipe, more like a roadmap of what I did. Quantities are not exact here, go with what seems right to you. Want to add more cheese? Go ahead! I used a cookie cutter that is 2.5” in diameter and made at least 40 small French onion tarts.

• 1 puff pastry dough (enough for 1 regular pie crust)

• Swiss or Gruyère cheese, about 6 slices

• 1 cup caramelized onions (Serious Eats has a good recipe here!)

• Fresh thyme

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1. Make puff pastry using your favourite recipe and flours. It sounds v eye roll complicated but is just 3 ingredients: flour, butter, and water. I use the all-butter flakey pie dough recipe from Smitten Kitchen, and 50% spelt, 50% unbleached all-purpose flour here. If you’re using a pie dough recipe, divide the dough into two rounds, wrap tightly with plastic wrap (or I use a wide, leakproof glass container as a zero waste option). Chill the dough portions for at least an hour in the fridge. One portion will be enough to make at least 40 little tarts, so if you want, put one of the rounds into a freezer bag and freeze for later use.

2. Slice your cheese (Gruyère preferably, or Swiss) into thin slices and cut into rounds that are just a little smaller than the pastry rounds. Alternatively, grate the cheese and set aside. 

3. After letting your pastry chill, roll it out into a sheet 1/4” thick and cut into rounds. I used a scalloped cookie cutter that is 2.5” in diameter. Place rounds on a tray lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

4. Brush each pastry round with milk. Then place a bit of cheese in the middle, either 1 round cut-out of cheese per pastry, or about 1 tsp of grated cheese. Chill the entire tray of pastry rounds topped with cheese in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. In the meantime, Pre-heat your oven to 425°F.

5. Once the oven is at temperature, take out your baking tray of pastry rounds. It’s ok if it has been more than 30 minutes, it just means it’ll take a bit longer to bake. Top each pastry round with about a teaspoon of caramelized onions. The layers should be, from bottom to top: pastry round, cheese, onions.

6. Bake for 17 - 20 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed up and golden. Remove the tray from the oven and top with fresh thyme leaves.