Red Onion Tart With A Cornmeal Crust

Made this Tart for lunch. Perfect for vegetarians as this is absolutely meat free. If you love onions as much as we do, then you will like this. The cornmeal gives the pastry a crumbly texture. The recipe calls for Fontina Cheese, which I do not have,  and have not even seen it before nor heard of this cheese, so I googled for info on this cheese, and found out that Fontina Cheese is a semi-soft  cheese which comes from Italy. It makes a good table cheese and is mild and smooth when melted. Since I only have Cheddar Cheese, I just used that instead.  From the picture in the book, the Fontina Cheese seems to melt beautifully into the onions. But not the Cheddar Cheese, it melts but the tart looks like the top of a pizza. :) I should have grated the Cheddar Cheese instead, then it would be easier to spread it evenly over the tart. I am imagining the flavours of the melted Fontina Cheese, should be really good! Use Fontina, instead of Cheddar!

1. Mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, fresh thymes (from my garden :) ) and black pepper powder in a large bowl, stir to combine.
2. Add in butter and rub or cut in.
3. Rub till mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

1. Bind pastry to a soft dough. Shape into a ball.
2. Flatten slightly, wrap with plastic wrap, refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Roll out and line a tart pan, prick base all over with a fork, cover sides with strips of foil, bake for about 12-15 minutes till lightly browned.

1. Sliced onions thinly, heat some oil and cook over low heat, covered for 20-30 minutes. Add in thymes and garlic and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add in sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Increase heat slightly and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool.

1. Remove foil, fill pastry base with onion filling and place cheese on top, drizzle with a little oil.
2. Bake for another 15-20 minutes until filling is hot.

 Fresh from the oven! Garnish with some chopped fresh thyme.

Serve hot! It tastes better while it is still hot. Don't forget to make a pot of tea to go with this!

I'm submitting this to :

Aspiring Bakers #10: Easy as Pie (August 2011), hosted by Janine of Not the Kitchen Sink!

And also sharing this post with :
Hearth and Soul Hop at Mom's Sunday Cafe
Bake With Bizzy at Bizzy B. Bakes


Red Onion Tart With A Cornmeal Crust

(adapted from "Pastry Cook" by Catherine Atkinson)
Serves 5 to 6
For The Filling
60ml (4tbsp) olive oil
1 kg (2-1/4lb) red onion, thinly sliced
2-3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
5ml (1tsp) chopped fresh thyme, plus a few whole sprigs
5ml (1tsp) soft dark brown sugar
10ml (2tsp) sherry vinegar (I use balsamic vinegar)
225gm (8oz) Fontina cheese, thinly sliced
salt and ground black pepper


For The Pastry
115gm (4oz / 1 cup) plain flour (all-purpose)
75gm (3oz / 3/4 cup) fine yellow cornmeal
5ml (1tsp) soft dark brown sugar
5ml (1tsp) chopped fresh thyme
90gm (3-1/2oz / 7 tbsp) butter, diced
1 egg yolk
30-45ml / 2-3 tbsp chilled water

1. To make the pastry, sift the flour and cornmeal with 5ml/1tsp salt in a bowl. (I used salted butter, so I only add in a pinch of salt). Add plenty of black pepper and stir in the sugar and thyme. Rub or cut in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Beat the egg yolk with 30ml/2tbsp water and use to bind the pastry, adding more water if necessary. Gather into a ball, wrap in clear film (plastic wrap) and chill for 30 minutes.
2. To make the filling, heat 45ml/3tbsp of the oil in a large, deep frying pan and add the onions. Cover and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and chopped thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Increase the heat slightly, then add the sugar and sherry vinegar. Cook, uncovered, for another 5 minutes until the onions start to caramelize slightly. Season and cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Roll out the pastry thinly and use to line a 25cm/10 in loose-based flan tin (quiche pan). Prick the pastry all over with a fork and support the sides with foil. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the pastry is just lightly coloured.
5. Remove the foil and spread the onions in the base of the pastry case. Add the Fontina and season to taste. Drizzle over the remaining oil, then bake for 15-20 minutes until the filling is hot. Garnish with  a few thyme sprigs and serve immediately.

Chicken Ragu

Another great pasta night with one of Rachael's pasta recipe which my family enjoys. It is tasty and delicious. Definitely one that is worth cooking again.  

I skipped the pancetta, did not have any and I replaced the marsala wine with white wine.  I can imagine how much tastier it will be with both the pancetta and marsala wine.

I'm sharing this with
Saturdays with Rachael Ray at Taste and Tell
Cookbook Sundays at Mom's Sunday Cafe
Celebrity Cook-Along, Rachael Ray at Happier Than A Pig In Mud

Chicken Ragu
(adapted from "Rachael Ray's Look+Cook" by Rachael Ray)
Serves 4
Salt
1 pound whole-wheat or whole-grain rigatoni or other short cut pasta
3 tablespoons EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
1/4 pound pancetta, a couple thick slices, cut into fine dice
1-1/2 pounds chicken thighs, chopped into small bite-size pieces
1 medium to large onion, chopped
2 to 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Black pepper
1 carrot, peeled
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup Marsala, a couple glugs (I use white wine)
1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
A handful of fresh basil leaves, torn


Heat a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water when it boils and cook the pasta to al dente.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the EVOO over medium-high heat. Brown the pancetta for 3 to 4 minutes, then add another tablespoon of EVOO. Add the chicken and brown evenly for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the onions, rosemary and garlic, then season with salt and pepper. Grate the carrot with a box grater directly into the pan and stir in. Add the bay leaf and cook until the vegetables are soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the wine to the chicken and vegetables, stir and reduce for a minute, then add the tomatoes and crush them with a wooden spoon. Simmer for a few minutes to thicken the sauce and combine the flavours. Drain the pasta and toss wtih the chicken ragu and cheese. Discard the bay leaf. Garnish with some torn basil. Serve immediately.

Catalan Salt Pinch Cake : Free and Easy Bake-Along #6

A simple cake with simple ingredients, but so tasty and so good! Catalan Salt Pinch Cake is our Bake-Along No. 6, together with Lena and Zoe. I made this cake twice. The first time I made this, the cake was flat with  an "eggy" smell to it. I knew then, that I did not beat the egg whites long enough. Dissatisfied, I made this again, and this time making sure that I beat the egg whites till really thick and glossy as instructed. 

It came out really fluffy, soft and very tasty. This cake is similar to our local sponge cake. This time, it doesn't have the 'eggy' smell, as the lemon zest gives it a light lemony fragrance. 

Just as Rose says, this cake is best eaten by pinching! She's right! I did cut a slice to eat and somehow it is not the same as pinching some from the pan! Do not remove the parchment paper till the whole cake is consumed. Try it! It's a fun way of eating cake! The kids enjoyed eating it this way!

According to Rose, this cake was created in 1985 in Spain by Salt Bakery. This cake does not contain any oil or salt. The egg whites and the sugar must be whisked till really thick and glossy. Be prepared to whisk the egg yolks into the meringue 2 tablespoons at a time, whisking for 2 minutes after each addition. This took me about half an hour. But it is so worth it! My family loves it. I made this the evening before, ate a small piece to try and the next day, my son took some to school (he seldom asks for cakes to bring to school)! My daughter took some for breakfast and my hubby ate most of it, leaving me ....

....with this piece! I had this with a cup of Chinese tea. A lovely and light cake to snack on anytime of the day! Definitely worth making again. Let's go over to Lena of Frozen Wings and Zoe of  Bake For Happy Kids and see their Catalan Salt Pinch Cake.

For our next Bake-Along, we will be baking Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake from Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman. Feel free to join in if you have this book, and just post it on 15/08, there's no linky to link to, as this is a Free and Easy Bake-Along! 

I'm sharing this with
Full Plate Thursday over at Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Bake With Bizzy over at Bizzy B. Bakes
Dessert Recipe Linky Party over at Joy Of Desserts
Sweets For A Saturday over at Sweet As Sugar Cookies

Catalan Salt Pinch Cake
(adapted from "Rose's Heavenly Cakes" by Rose Levy Beranbaum)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons / 4 ounces / 112 gms sliced almonds, preferably unblanched
3/4 cup plus 2-1/2 tablespoons, divided / 6.3 ounces / 181 gms superfine sugar (I use 150gm)
6 large eggs / 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons (9.5 fluid ounces) / 10.6 ounces / 300 gms 
2 large egg whites / 1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces) / 2 ounces / 60 gms
1 teaspoon, loosely packed lemon zest, finely grated
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (or 1/2 cup) / 2 ounces / 56 gms, cake flour (or bleached all-purpose flour)


SPECIAL EQUIPMENT :

One 9 by 2-1/2 to 3 inch springform or cake pan, coated with shortening, bottom and sides lined with parchment. For the sides cut a 33 by 3-inch band of parchment, overlapping an extra piece if necessary to make it long enough. Wrap and press it against the inside wall of the pan. Use some extra shortening to coat the overlapping ends to hold them in place against the first strip of parchment.

PREHEAT THE OVEN :

Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325F/160C.

TOAST AND GRIND THE ALMONDS : (I skipped this step as I use almond meal)

Spread the almonds evenly on a baking sheet and bake for about 7 minutes, or until pale golden. Stir once or twice to ensure even toasting and avoid overbrowning. Cool completely. In a food processor, pulse the almonds and 2-1/2 tablespoons of the sugar until as fine as possible. Stop before the nuts start to become pasty.

PREPARE THE EGGS :

Pour the whole eggs into a 2-cup measure with a spout and whisk them lightly to break them up.

MIX THE MERINGUE :

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk beater, beat the egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy. Raise the speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form when the beater is raised. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar, stopping the mixer once to scrape down sides of the bowl. Continue beating until the meringue is very thick and glossy, but it will not be smooth. Detach the whisk from the mixer and use it to stir the almond mixture into the meringue until evenly incorporated.

MAKE THE BATTER :

Reattach the whisk beater and, with the mixer on medium speed, add the beaten egg to the meringue 2 tablespoons at a time, beating for 2 minutes between each addition. It should take a total of 20 to 25 minutes, but be sure to beat for a minimum of 20 minutes. Beat in the lemon zest. Remove the bowl and beater from the stand. While the mixture is beating, weigh or measure out the flour.

Sift the flour onto the batter and, using the whisk beater or a large balloon whisk, fold in the flour until fully incorporated. Reach to the bottom of the bowl and be sure that no white specks of flour remain. The best way to accomplish this is with your fingers, pinching any bits of flour to moisten them. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. (If using a 2-inch-high pan, the batter will come almost to the top of the pan).

BAKE THE CAKE :

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a wire cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed very lightly in the center. The cake will rise just a little and then sink slightly in the center.

UNMOLD AND COOL THE CAKE :

Set the pan on a wire rack and immediately loosen and remove the sides, leaving the parchment attached to the cake. (If using a solid pan, lift the cake out using the parchment and set it on the wire rack). Allow the cake to cool until it is warm or room temperature, about 1 hour. Set the cake, still in the parchment, on a serving plate. (Leave the parchment in place until the entire cake is consumed).

Delicious eaten in the traditional way by pinching out pieces of the fluffy cake, the cake is also lovely for a tea: Serve pinched or sliced with fresh raspberries and lightly sweetened whipped cream. The cake keeps wrapped airtight for 1 week at room temperature, for 10 days refrigerated, and for 6 months frozen.