Roquefort Cheese and Caramelized Onion Tart Recipe

Mark Gillow
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 90 mins
Total: 110 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 1 tart

This classic Roquefort and caramelized onion tart recipe is layered with complex flavors: salty, piquant cheese, mellow, sweet onions, and rich eggs and cream. Baked into a pastry shell, the combination is nothing less than irresistible. 

The tart is so versatile; a quick lunch with a salad, a dinner entrée, pop it in a picnic basket or a lunch box. Not bad for one small tart. 

Roquefort cheese is a distinctly tangy cheese and originally from the caves of Mont Combalou, it is protected by the first ever A.O.C., or controlled term of origin. The cheese is considered one of the best blues around because of the control, and also the maturation in the dark, musty caves in South West France. 

If you can't find true Roquefort in your market, ask your grocer for a good quality blue cheese, preferably one that is creamy rather than crumbly, a Gorgonzola perhaps. 

Cook's note: Use a store-bought shell or homemade pâte brisée for the pastry; either one turns out beautifully.

Ingredients

  • 1 pastry dough

  • 3 medium onions, thinly sliced

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

  • 2/3 cup Roquefort cheese, crumbled

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 cup half-and-half

  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried thyme

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

  2. Roll out and line the pastry into a deep-dish pie pan. Line the pastry with parchment paper, fill it with dry beans and then bake it for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Remove and place the beans to one side to store and use again once cooled. 

  3. In a large skillet set over low heat, melt the butter and cook the onions in it for 20 minutes, until they're tender but not browned and taking care to make sure they do not burn. Turn the heat up to medium-high and sprinkle the sugar over the onions. Sauté the onions and sugar until the mixture turns golden brown. Remove the onions from the pan and leave to cool slightly. 

  4. Layer the caramelized onions and crumbled Roquefort cheese onto the bottom layer of the pastry. Beat together the eggs, half-and-half, thyme, salt, and pepper (be careful not to use too much dried herb or it will overpower the dish).

  5. Pour the egg mixture over the onions and cheese. Bake the tart for 35 to 40 minutes, until the eggs are set in the middle. Cool slightly and serve.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
345 Calories
22g Fat
26g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 345
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 28%
Saturated Fat 10g 49%
Cholesterol 118mg 39%
Sodium 649mg 28%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 10%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 2mg 10%
Calcium 160mg 12%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 157mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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