Odila's Onion Tart with Gruyère & Thyme

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and lightly oil your quiche tin.
2. Pop your flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in the olive oil and warm water and use your hands to gently knead, bringing everything together into a soft dough. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and set aside to rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
3. Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the dough to an even round a couple of centimetres wider than the quiche tin. Carefully transfer the pastry over the tin. Push the pastry into the edges with the tips of your fingers and cut away any overhanging pastry by rolling the rolling pin flat over the tin edges.
4. Pre-bake the pastry for 10 minutes, rotate 180-degrees and bake for another 10 minutes. Take out the pastry and set aside to cool whilst you make the onion filling.

1. Lower the oven temperature to 180°C.
2. Warm a generous glug of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the onions and most of the thyme, saving a little to garnish. Mix well, making sure all the onions are coated in oil. Reduce to a low heat and cover with a lid. Sweat for around 15 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the onions soften. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and keep cooking with the lid off until they turn golden brown and melting in texture.
3. Transfer the onions to a mixing bowl and allow them to cool. Add the egg, cheese and cream and mix well. This is a good moment to taste for salt as you won’t be able to add any more later. When you are happy with the taste, pour the mix into the pastry and use a fork to spread the filling evenly.
4. Pop the tart into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the tart 180-degrees and bake for another 10 minutes or so, until the top is golden and the mix is set. Don’t worry if the middle is still slightly wobbly.
5. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving. Sprinkle the remaining thyme on top and serve with a crunchy salad. It will keep happily in the fridge for 2-3 days and it only gets tastier, making it a great recipe to cook in advance. Just remember to serve at room temperature rather than cold from the fridge.