Caramelized onion, Gruyère and tomato tart

Ingredients:

• 1kg+ white onions (about 5 large ones)
• olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

• 320g store-bought Sheet Puff Pastry
• 170g Gruyère cheese (or Emmental)
• 400g cherry tomatoes
• salt
• 10 twists of black pepper

• green beans

Methods:

• First, caramelise the onions - that will take a while. Slice all the onions pole to pole into thin strips. Preheat a large frying pan, coat it with a generous amount of olive oil. Place all the onions into the pan, sprinkle them with salt and don’t disturb them until they start to brown on the bottom. Then mix and again don’t disturb them until they start to brown on the bottom. Repeat several more times. Once the onions are all cooked, continue cooking them on low heat to caramelise them. That can be done in the same frying pan or in a dutch oven (without a lid). The more time you give them, the more awesome they’ll be. If unsure, consult Helen Rennie.
• For the tart you’ll need about 350g of room temperature caramelised onions - measure out this amount and cool them (for example by spreading on a cold plate).
• Preheat the oven to 200C.
• Grate the cheese.
• Half enough cherry tomatoes to cover the whole area of your tart pan (mine is about 25cm in diameter). Mix them in a bowl with olive oil, salt and black pepper.
• Cover the tart pan with the sheet of puff pastry. Trim the overhangs.
• Cover the bottom of the tart with the onions, then cheese, then cut-side up tomatoes.
• Bake for about 30min until the pastry sides look golden, the cheese is melted and the tomatoes look roasted. I usually turn on the broiler after the first 20min.
• Meanwhile, steam some green beans to serve with the tart.

Inspired by: Helen Rennie