I have been begging her for the recipe. My begging bordered harassment and she finally has given us the Onion Tart Recipe~ WOOOOOHOOOOO! Enjoy!

You can see some other amazing recipes on Pavia’s website:

www.paviarosati.com

Onion Tarts

We pride ourselves on our multitasking prowess as we Skype our cousins while wrapping presents when the stew’s on the stove and the sheets are in the wash. But what about the food we eat? Never mind the leftover Sunday roast chicken that fills the Monday burrito. Where’s the meal that is easy to make and tastes delicious, impresses the guests and looks gorgeous on a buffet, warms the soul and cures the hangovers – and costs mere dimes to prepare?

It’s all there in an onion tart. Humble and rustic, there are only two challenging things about preparing one: having time to simmer the onions and rolling the dough if yours aren’t the seasoned forearms of a baker. But don’t let that dissuade you. I’ve been making onion tart for years – and my first attempt was a home run. Like any dish that so many cultures claim, there must be countless variations. Here’s mine, which owes a heavy debt to an old New York Times recipe for pissaladiere, the French version.

Ingredients

• Pie dough (sweet or savory)
• 4 cups flour
• 3 sticks butter
• 1 cup ice water

1. Cut cold butter into flour until it has a pea-like texture. (I always start cutting into it with butter knives or a dough cutter, but always get impatient and plunge my hands into the bowl and rub.)
2. Make a crater in the mix and add a few tablespoons of water. Knead until dough comes together. If it gets white or sticky, you’ve used too much water, so add a little flour to compensate.
3. Dump dough onto your work surface and bring together until no crumbs fall off. Divide into two discs (enough for two sheet pans), smash down, cover in plastic, and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Onions for Tart

• 5-7 onions, a mix of Vidalia and Sweet Spanish
• 1 tin anchovies
• Balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 stick of butter

1. Cut onions in half and slice thin.
2. Melt butter in a big skillet but don’t let it bubble.
3. Add anchovies and mash with a wooden spoon until they disintegrate into the butter. Don’t be shy about using the whole tin.
4. Add onions and a splash of balsamic vinegar and mix so everything gets coated. Leave it alone on low flame until it gets seriously mushy and brown, up to an hour. Stir every so often, but don’t fuss.

Tart Assembly

1. Roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Place in shallow sheet pans. Don’t worry if you can’t make perfect sheets. You can put it onto the pan in patches. It will all meld in the baking.
2. Spoon onion mix on dough, spreading evenly.
3. Bake for 30 minutes in preheated 450-degree oven.
4. Reduce temp to 425 and cook another 20-30 minutes until the crusts look golden. (If the crust starts to brown, cover it with strips of tin foil and keep cooking.)
5. Optional finishes: Crumbled goat cheese and tarragon leaves on the onion tart. Or Parmesan.
6. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.