Bacon and Caramelized Onion Tart

Oh my goodness, this tart is amazing!  The smells of caramelized onions, thyme, and garlic that filled my home were mouthwatering.  Oh and let's not forget about the bacon, little pieces of salty, crisp goodness.  So delicious!  After all the amazing sights and smells that I was experiencing, I could hardly wait to eat a slice of this lovely little tart and boy oh boy, it did not disappoint!  I beg you to make this and make it soon!

Pie Crust

Makes enough for 1 double-crusted pie or 2 single, 10-inch crusts

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.  Pulse a few times to blend.  Sprinkle the butter pieces over the dry ingredients.  Pulse until the butter is the size of large peas.

Add 6 tablespoons of the water and pulse until the dough just begins to form a ball (you may need to add up to 2 tablespoons more of the ice water).  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gather it into a ball.  Divide the dough in half, and gently pat each half into a disc.  Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

After you roll out the crust and place it in the desired pan, let it chill for 15-30 minutes in the refrigerator before baking to prevent shrinking.

Bacon and Caramelized Onion Tart

1 10-inch pie crust

2 tablespoons butter

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and sliced into thin half moons

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Kosher salt and black pepper

6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

  

Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.  Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork and place in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling.

In a large skillet or Dutch oven set over medium heat, melt the butter.  Toss in the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are deeply caramelized-this can take anywhere from 30-45 minutes, depending on your stove.  Have a glass of water standing by; add a tablespoon or so of water as needed to keep everything moist and prevent burning.  When the onions are caramelized, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Stir in the thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper.  Scrape the onions onto a plate to cool.  Wipe out the skillet and place back on the heat.

Add the bacon to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towel and let drain and cool.

Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat it to 400 degrees.  Set the tart pan on a large baking sheet.  Bake the crust just until it begins to look dry all over, about 10 minutes.  If it bubbles up a bit in spots, just press down the bubbles with a spatula.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the ricotta, egg yolk and parmesan cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.  Fold in half the onions and half the bacon.  Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the par baked crust.  Spread the remaining onions over the ricotta mixture.  Sprinkle the remaining bacon over the top.

Bake until the crust is golden on the edges and the ricotta filling is firm, 30-35 minutes.  Let the tart cool in the pan before slicing.  Garnish with a few more fresh thyme leaves.  Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

*I think it would be fun to do mini versions of this tart using individual size tart pans.

Recipe is from Piece of Cake blog by Shauna Sever