Onion Walnut And Roquefort Tart Recipes

ROQUEFORT, LEEK AND WALNUT TART

Steps:

• Blend together flour, baking powder and half the salt in a bowl or a food processor. Beat egg yolk with 5 tablespoons cold water. Stir in olive oil. Pour this mixture over the flour mixture and beat with a fork if using a bowl, or pulse about a dozen times in the processor, until dough starts to come together. Add another teaspoon or two of water if mixture is too dry.
• Gather dough together and knead briefly on a lightly floured surface to form into a ball. Roll and trim to make an oblong 9 by 13 inches or a 12-inch round. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Fold up a half-inch border all around either shape. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Spread bacon in a heavy skillet and cook until very lightly browned. Stir in leeks and remaining salt and cook until softened and translucent. Stir in walnuts, sauté about 30 seconds, and remove from heat. Mash Roquefort and work in crème fraîche. Spread on pastry. Scatter leek, bacon and walnut mixture evenly on top. Bake 20 minutes, allow to cool briefly, cut in squares or wedges and serve.

LITTLE ONION TARTS WITH GORGONZOLA AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Make the pastry: Put flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add half the butter and work it into the flour until it resembles damp sand. Add the rest of the butter cubes, the ice water and lemon juice and mix just until the dough comes together. (There will be little chunks of butter in the dough - this makes the pastry flaky.) Form dough into a disk shape, wrap in plastic and flatten to a 1-inch thickness. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to a day in advance.
• Make the topping: Put olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and brown for about 5 minutes, stirring. Season generously with salt and pepper. Turn heat to medium and cook until onions are soft and well browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Roll out pastry to about 1/8 inch thickness. Using a cookie cutter or a glass, cut out 2-inch rounds and move them to a plate. Once you've filled the plate, transfer to the refrigerator. Reroll the scraps and continue to cut rounds, chilling as you go. You should have 24 pieces.
• Line 2 baking pans with parchment and lay 12 pastry rounds on each. Put about 1 tablespoon of the caramelized onions on each round, followed by a piece of Gorgonzola. Top each with walnut pieces. Sprinkle with a small pinch of chopped rosemary.
• Transfer to oven; bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Sprinkle each tart with chives, and a speck of fleur de sel, if using. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ONION, WALNUT AND ROQUEFORT TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• On a floured, cold surface, roll out the pie dough to a 14-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and unroll onto the tart pan (use an 11" pan with a removable bottom).
• Gently mold the dough around the edges to completely line the pan. Roll the rolling pin over the edges of the pan to cut off the excess dough. Patch any spots with the extra dough and then freeze any remaining for later use. Chill the molded pie shell for about 20 minutes before baking or freeze, well wrapped until ready to use.
• When ready to bake, score the bottom of the tart shell with fork marks to prevent the dough from bubbling. "Blind bake" the tart shell by covering it fully with a sheet of parchment paper and filling the tart with rice or dried beans, making sure to completely fill in the shape of the shell with the beans. This weighted process will allow the crust to bake without shrinking or losing its shape.
• Bake for about 30 minutes, until shape has set and the dough is lightly colored.
• Remove the beans and parchment and store for later use.
• Return the tart shell to the oven and bake another 10 minutes until it is golden brown.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a heavy based sauté pan. Add the onions and cook gently over medium heat, until the onions are caramelized, about 30 minutes.
• Once caramelized add the sherry and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the onions are dry.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Remove to a plate and chill in the refrigerator. The onions can be made two or three days ahead.
• Toast the walnuts in the oven until lightly colored, about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop the nuts and then place in a colander or large holed strainer and shake until most of the bitter skins or "dust" is removed. Set aside until ready to use. The nuts can also be prepared ahead and kept well covered.
• To make the custard, simply whisk together the yolks and the heavy cream until mixed and season with salt, pepper and cayenne.
• To assemble, cover the bottom of the tart shell with an even distribution of the caramelized onions.
• Repeat again with the walnuts and then the Roquefort.
• Cover with the custard and bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, or until just golden. Remove from the oven and allow to set before serving.

ROQUEFORT, PEAR AND WALNUT TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler.
• Arrange 12 slices of baguette on the broiler pan in a single layer. Toast bread lightly on each side under broiler. Remove broiler pan from broiler. Spread out sliced pears on cutting surface and squeeze the juice of a wedge of lemon over the slices to keep them from browning. Place a slice of pear on each toast and top with Roquefort crumbles and walnut pieces. Return pan to broiler 6 inches from heat source and broil toasts 2 or 3 minutes to melt cheese and toast walnuts. Transfer to a plate and start snacking!

ONION, WALNUT & MUSHROOM TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Peel the onions and cut each into 6 wedges through the root. Heat the oil in a large pan, add onions, then gently fry for 20 mins until softened and lightly coloured.
• Add the mushrooms, sugar, salt and pepper and give it a good stir. Gently cook, stirring now and then for a further 5 mins. Stir in the walnuts. Line the base of a 20-23cm sandwich cake tin (not loose-based) with baking parchment. Spoon over the onion mixture and press it down lightly. Crumble the cheese over.
• Roll out the pastry and trim to a round, about 5cm larger than the tin. Put the pastry over the filling and tuck in the ends. Bake for 35-40 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden. Cool for 5 mins in the tin, then turn out onto a flat plate and cut into wedges. Serve with a green salad.