The holidays are quickly approaching whether we like it or not, so now is the time to start thinking about recipes for the holiday table and/or dinner parties with friends.
When I was younger and still living at home, I would watch my mom plan and prep like a pro for big holiday gatherings. Weeks in advance, she would start her lists, iron the linens, pull out platters and polish the silver. I learned so much from watching her methodical ways and am so grateful for the knowledge she passed on to me.
My mom would go all out and prepare several main course dishes for the table, but she would also put a lot of effort in the appetizers. One recipe she would make frequently for guests was an absolutely divine onion, tomato and black olive tart. You can’t go wrong with caramelized onions and flaky pie dough!
When I started working at The Chopping Block 22 years ago and discovered one of our staple recipes was a caramelized onion and goat cheese crostata, it brought back a flood of wonderful memoires. My mom’s tart was a bit different, but similar enough where it felt very nostalgic, and it has become a dish I love to make each fall and winter. It’s a great recipe and an impressive dish to bring to a party or include as a vegetarian offering on your Thanksgiving table.
The main difference between a tart and a crostata is that a tart is made in a tart pan and a crostata is free form. All you need is a parchment-lined sheet tray, and it’s very easy to assemble, which is why I prefer making crostatas whenever possible.
To make the crostata, let’s divide the recipe into three parts: the pie dough, the filling and the assembly process.
The Pie Dough
To prepare the dough, measure together the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor.
Add your very cold butter and shortening (I used all butter because I didn’t have shortening), and process until the butter is in large pieces throughout the flour.
While the processor is running, drizzle in the very cold water and keep the machine running until dough just barely starts to come together.
Turn the rough dough onto your countertop, and form into a shape that resembles a potato.
Cut the oval in half, and press the cut sides of the dough to form a disk (this recipe makes 2 disks of dough).
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but you can make this recipe several days in advance.
Shelley, TCB's founder, wrote a very comprehensive blog about the anatomy of pie dough that’s very informative.
Did you know that we use this pie dough recipe (referenced in Shelley’s blog above) for all of our homemade holiday pies? Leave dessert to us and order your apple and/or pumpkin pie for your holiday table!
The Filling
The first step in making the filling is to caramelize onions. This is a low and slow process that isn’t difficult but just takes time and patience. A couple of things to note about this process:
You’re going to think you have way too many onions once they are in the pan, but they cook down dramatically, so follow the amount in the recipe.
Our recipe calls for butter, but my go-to fat is clarified butter because the milk solids have been removed which increases the smoke point of the fat. Clarified butter will not brown or burn, so it’s the perfect choice.
When you see a lot of browned bits form on the bottom of your pan, add a splash of water to deglaze the pan; this will prevent those browned bits from burning.
Once the onions are caramelized, allow them to fully cool. Once cool, mix them together with the cream, egg yolks, fresh thyme and goat cheese (blue cheese or gruyere would be great subs). The eggs and cream create what’s called a liaison, which helps give flavor, creates a silky texture and helps to thicken the filling.
Check out my blog on French Onion Soup for another great way to use caramelized onions!
Carefully transfer the dough to a parchment-lined sheet tray and pour the filling into the center, leaving a 2-inch border.
Working quickly to prevent the liaison from running, fold the edges of dough over the filling making sure to leave some of the filling exposed.
Brush the dough with egg wash to give it a shine and bake at 400° for 30 minutes.
Allow the crostata to cool for about 30 minutes before serving (I enjoyed mine with a side salad for lunch).
When making this recipe, keep in mind that you can make the pie dough and caramelize the onions several days in advance, making assembly, baking, and serving very straightforward.
Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Crostata
Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe
To caramelize the onions, heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the butter or clarified butter.
Sauté the onions until they are golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. If browned bits of fond build up on the bottom of the pan while caramelizing, deglaze with a touch of water.
Once the onions are caramelized, add the wine and reduce until dry. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow the onions to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, thyme leaves and egg yolks. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Once the onions have cooled, add them to the bowl with the cream and eggs and stir well. Fold in the goat cheese.
On a floured surface, roll the disk of dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet tray.
Pour the onion filling into the center of the dough and spread it leaving a 2-inch border around the edges.
Fold the extra crust over the onions, making sure to leave the onions exposed in the center, and brush the dough with the egg wash.
Bake until golden brown and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before serving.
We are gearing up for the holidays at TCB and have several classes on our November and December calendars to prepare you for all of your entertaining needs:
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 HourInactive time: 1 HourTotal time: 2 H & 15 M
Ingredients
4 Tablespoons butter or clarified butter
3 onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sherry wine or white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 egg yolks
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 recipe Pie or Tart Dough
1 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1 egg beaten with a splash of water
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
To caramelize the onions, heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the butter or clarified butter.
Sauté the onions until they are golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. If browned bits of fond build up on the bottom of the pan while caramelizing, deglaze with a touch of water.
Once the onions are caramelized, add the wine and reduce until dry. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow the onions to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, thyme leaves and egg yolks. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Once the onions have cooled, add them to the bowl with the cream and eggs and stir well. Fold in the goat cheese.
On a floured surface, roll the disk of dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet tray.
Pour the onion filling into the center of the dough and spread it leaving a 2-inch border around the edges.
Fold the extra crust over the onions, making sure to leave the onions exposed in the center, and brush the dough with the egg wash.
Bake until golden brown and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before serving.