french onion tart

Ingredients:

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

8 thick slices bacon, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

3 large eggs

¾ cups whole milk

¼ tsp salt

freshly ground pepper

1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

½ cup (2 oz) shredded Gruyere

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Very lightly butter a 9 inch square tart pan with removable bottom.

Unfold puff pastry and roll out on a lightly floured surface into a 1/8 inch square. Fit the pastry into the tart pan taking care to fit the corners into the pan. With the rolling pin roll off the excess pastry. Pierce the bottom and sides of the pastry with a fork. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze while preparing the filling.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often until crisp about 8 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towel lined plate.

Add the onions to the bacon fat and sauté over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low and sauté until golden brown about 15 minutes. Transfer onions to a bowl to cool. Stir in the cooked bacon.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg in another bowl.

Meanwhile take the pasty out of the freezer, remove the plastic wrap and line with foil, taking car to push the foil into the corners. Fill with pastry weights, make sure that some of the weights are in the corners. Bake until the edges are slightly browned and the pastry is set, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, lift off the foil and the weights. Pierce the pastry again and return to the oven until the pastry is beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.

Take the pastry out of the oven. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with the onion/bacon mixture. Carefully pour in the custard. Return to the oven and bake until the filling is puffed and golden, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan. Cut into eight wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4 as a main, or 8 as a first course