Today you are witnessing a first here at Claire K Creations. Do you know what it is?
I'll just tell you and save you guessing... this tomato onion and feta tart, is the first ever tart/pastry shell that you've seen out of the tin here. It's the first one that I've been brave enough to remove. Yes I may have greased it up with more than a light spread of butter to ensure an easy removal but whatever it took, I did it and I'm a little bit proud (yes there was happy dance involved).
Here's a crust-only shot. Isn't it sexy? I wouldn't call myself a pastry pro just yet but I'm happy to have graduated from serving from the tin. My latest pastry experiment is an Ed Halmagyi, aka Fast Ed from Better Homes & Gardens recipe that sounded like a good use for my over-stock of onions and cherry tomatoes.
That's the only thing about my mix fruit/vege box delivery that gets a bit challenging. It always comes with a bag of onions and there are only so many two people can eat in a week.
I used Charlie's trick of dried beans (thanks Charlie) as pie weights and carefully blind-baked the pastry before letting it cool ready for filling. The pastry's really easy to make as it's all done in the food processor. Oh how I love my food processor for making pastry and biscuit dough.
I guess I should tell you about the actual tart. The reports were mixed. Will thought that the pastry would be more suited to a sweet filling like a dessert. I think that might have been because I didn't roll it out quite thinly enough for this purpose. I really enjoyed it but I love pastry. The combination of onion, cheese and tomato was lovely balance with the sweet onions offset by the salty parmesan and given a flavour boost by the tomatoes and feta.
I served this as a main meal with some simple steamed veges on the side but I think it would also be good served as a side dish. It would work as the carb and vege portion of a meal I think. If you can find cherry tomatoes with the vine still attached it's a nice touch leaving a few with their little hats on.
The original recipe used goats cheese so feel free to use it instead of feta. Enjoy!
What about you? Do you do a happy dance when things turn out as you hoped in the kitchen?
Recipe
Ingredients
- 180 g cold unsalted butter, chopped
- 240 g plain flour
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 60 ml iced water
- 4 large brown onions finely sliced
- 1 tablespoon EV olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves sliced
- ¼ bunch thyme finely chopped
- ¼ cup parmesan finely grated
- salt flakes & freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups mixed baby tomatoes
- 75 g crumbled feta
- extra herbs to serve
Instructions
- Place the chopped butter in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up then place it in the food processor with the flour and salt.
- Blitz it together until the mixture looks like wet sand then add the iced water and process until it forms a dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a disc then wrap it up.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour.
- Grease a tart tin with butter then line the base with baking paper.
- Roll the pastry out to about 3mm thickness and then carefully lift it over the tart tin.
- Use your fingers to gently lift and push the pastry into the tin to fit then give it a trim so that the pastry extends about 2cm over the side of the tin.
- You may need to pleat it so it stands up.
- Cover the pastry and pop it in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
- Place a sheet of baking paper in the middle then fill it with pie weights (I use dried kidney beans that I keep in the fridge and re-use).
- Bake for 30 minutes or until it is golden then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Meanwhile make the onion mixture.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan then sauté the onions, stirring every now and then and scraping the bottom, until they are soft, transparent and start to get a little golden.
- Add the garlic and the thyme and cook for a few more minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir through the parmesan then season with salt and pepper.
- Spread the onion mixture out onto the cooled pastry base and then top with the tomatoes and crumbled feta.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and mushy and the feta golden.
- Garnish with a few extra sprigs of herbs from the garden and serve warm.
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Dolly says
Hi Claire,
Made this tart today, tomato feta and caramalized onions. Turned out good.
Thank you.
Dolly.
Claire says
You're welcome Dolly!
Nic@diningwithastud says
Yay :) good job on the pastry!! I love that you use beans for your blind bake haha - I use lentils ;) much cheaper than baking beads
Claire says
So much cheaper Nic I don't know why I didn't think of it before!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love savory tarts, this one has my favorite flavors!
GourmetGetaways says
WELL DONE!
It looks o beautiful and delicious! Congratulations on your first ever pie crust :)
I will tell you a secret, pastry doesn't ever stick, (as it cooks it retracts from the sides of the pan.) The only time a pie will get caught in a tin is if the filling leaks through a hole or overflows down the side of the pastry. So you can bake pastry with complete confidence :)
I particularly love the filling of your tart, I can't wait to try it :)
Thanks for sharing.
Oh, I have noticed you over at my site, I am really enjoying yours so I am adding you as a Foodie Friend on my blogroll :)
Claire says
Well thank you very much for that! I will be a little less hesitant next time then. Ooh thank you!
Hotly Spiced says
What a beautiful looking tart. It looks so pretty with the tomatoes. Good on you for making your own tart shell and yes, a bit (more like a lot) of butter is great reassurance that it will come out of the tin. Glad the dried legumes worked well - I've been using mine for years! xx
Claire says
Thanks Charlie! Yes the beans are great. Can't believe I'd never done it before.
Stephanie @ henry happened says
I totally do happy dances in the kitchen! Usually b/c I'm shocked that something I made tastes good :) Your tart - and the crust - look delicious!
Claire says
Ok good I'm glad I'm not the only one Stephanie! I also exclaim at how clever I am sometimes :-)
The Café Sucré Farine says
Bravo, Claire, Bravo! Not only did you get it out of the pan but it looks like it belongs on a magazine cover!
Claire says
Oh Chris yet again you flatter me!
Sarah says
oh, yum. This is perfect for the weather here at the moment, life and freshy and summery, but also buttery and a little decadent. Looks great, Claire!
Claire says
That's exactly it Sarah. Seems nice and light and healthy but oh the crust!