Spanish Onion Tart with Goat Cheese Recipe
This tart combines gently caramelized sweet onions and bold goat cheese on a crisp shortcrust base. In Spanish homes, similar bakes often appear at dinners with friends, cut into small squares like tapas. It’s excellent warm, but it also disappears suspiciously fast from the plate when served cold.
A simple shortcrust base, deeply caramelized onions and tangy goat cheese create a tart that feels both rustic and elegant. It’s easy to slice into small portions, making it perfect for sharing at casual gatherings or as a centerpiece for a light dinner.
Chef's tips
Don’t rush the onions—slow cooking over low to medium heat is key to bringing out their natural sweetness without burning. If the edges of the crust brown too quickly while baking the filled tart, cover them loosely with foil. For extra flavor, you can deglaze the onions with a splash of white wine or sherry towards the end of cooking.
How to serve
Serve the tart slightly warm with a green salad dressed with olive oil and lemon or balsamic vinegar. It also works well as part of a tapas-style spread with marinated olives, roasted peppers and crusty bread.
Ingredients
- wheat flour type 450–550 - 200 g
- butter cold, cut into cubes - 100 g
- egg for the dough - 1 piece
- cold water if needed - 1 tablespoon
- onion medium, thinly sliced - 4 pieces
- soft goat cheese log or round - 120 g
- eggs for the egg mixture - 3 pieces
- 30% cream - 150 ml
- olive oil for frying the onions - 1 tablespoon
- thyme dried or fresh leaves - 1 teaspoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Put the flour into a bowl, add a pinch of salt and the cold butter. Rub with your fingers until you get crumbs resembling wet sand. Add the egg and quickly knead the dough, adding a tablespoon of cold water if needed. Shape into a ball, flatten, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare the filling: heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt. Fry for 15–20 minutes over low–medium heat, stirring often, until the onion is very soft and lightly browned but not burnt. It should be sweet and golden.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Lightly grease a tart tin about 24 cm in diameter with butter or line it with baking paper.
- Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle larger than the tin. Transfer it to the tin, press into the base and sides, and trim any excess. Prick the base with a fork in several places.
- Cover the tart base with baking paper and fill with dried beans or rice as weights. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the paper with the weights and bake for another 5 minutes, until the pastry is lightly golden.
- In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the cream, then add the thyme, salt and pepper. The mixture should be smooth.
- Spread the sautéed onions evenly over the pre-baked crust. Slice or crumble the goat cheese and distribute it over the onions.
- Pour the egg-and-cream mixture over everything, trying not to let it spill over the edges.
- Bake the tart for 20–25 minutes at 190°C, until the filling is set and the top is lightly golden. The center may wobble slightly when you move the tin, but it should not be liquid.
- Remove the tart from the oven and let it rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing so the filling can set.
Storage
Przechowuj w lodówce, najlepiej już pokrojoną. Podgrzewaj w piekarniku lub na suchej patelni pod przykryciem. Po rozmrożeniu spód może być nieco mniej kruchy, ale nadal smaczny.
