TWD: Alsatian Onion Tart

Tuesdays with Dorie baking through Baking with Julia
by Dorie Greenspan
Contributing Baker: Michel Richard

Well, this has the appearance more like a pizza than a tart - at least in my mind. When I think of a tart, I conjure up images of dough that has been pressed into a tart pan, and after baking, it comes out with beautiful ruffled edges.

OK. So looks aren't everything.

Taste. This does have taste going for it. It was quite delicious. 

This was very easy to make. You start with preparing the base (I did this while my onions were cooking) by rolling out puff pastry dough (yes - puff pastry - no tart or pizza dough here) until it is very thin, about an eighth of an inch, but no more than a quarter of an inch, and using a sharp knife, cut the pastry into a circle (I'm sure any shape you choose would work), about twelve inches in diameter.

The dough is pricked all over with a fork, this will keep the puff pastry from, well, puffing... it's all about the flavor. The dough is then refrigerated until you are ready to top it with the onion mixture.

The onion mixture is made from four very large onions that have been diced. I only used three, and was in a hurry, so I sliced the onions instead of dicing, and had more than enough. The onions are cooked in chicken broth until very soft, and then cooled, at which time you add a few tablespoons of heavy cream (I used half and half) and salt and pepper.

The recipe calls for slab bacon to be diced and par-boiled. The store I went to does not have slab bacon, so I purchased thick-cut bacon slices - which worked just fine. I skipped the par-boiling of the bacon, and cooked it up normally (undercooked it a bit), then diced it. 

The tart was now ready for assembly! The pastry is first topped with the onion mixture, then the bacon is scattered over the top and pressed into the onions a bit, to help keep them from burning too much while baking. I had some diced jalapeño left over from the chili I made the night before, so I tossed those on as well - a good call if I do say so myself - it provided a nice spicy kick that I love. The tart is baked in a three-hundred and fifty degree oven until golden brown.

This was delicious, and would make for a lovely appetizer; though it can't really be made ahead of time for the bottom crust gets a bit soggy after sitting. It is easy enough to throw together at the last minute if you make the onions, cook the bacon, and prep the dough ahead of time - then assemble and toss it in the oven just before serving.

I was thinking a rectangular shaped tart would be pretty...

Don't forget to check out the results of my fellow bakers also! You will find their links by clicking here, or by going to the Tuesdays with Dorie website and looking for the BWJ LYL: Alsatian Onion Tart link. 

TWD: Puff Pastry Pizzettes

Tuesdays with Dorie baking through Baking with Julia
by Dorie Greenspan
Contributing Baker: Michel Richard


Have you ever had bits of puff pastry dough left over from a recipe and did not know what to do with the scraps? So you either tossed it (gasp!), or thrown it in the freezer, where it ends up banished to the back not to be found for months, or maybe even years later? Well, we have a solution for you.

October was "puff month" for us TWD bakers - and this week's recipe uses those scraps that we had left over from the sunny-side-up pastries we made two weeks ago.

These are so uber easy to make, you may not want to wait till you have scraps. You may just want to go out and get yourself a fresh box right away!

There's really no "recipe" to make these. You just take your leftover scraps, roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch and cut out circles to the size of your liking. Add your favorite topping and bake in a 350° oven for about fifteen minutes, until puffed and golden. You do want to make sure to press the toppings into the dough a bit, so they do not slide off when the dough puffs up. 

I topped a few with tomato and blue cheese, some with sautéed mushrooms, and the others with tomato, and just a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Out of the three, the tomato with just a dash of salt and pepper was my favorite. I took some to my sister, and she enjoyed the other two flavors (I ate all of the tomato with s&p).

You can also go with a sweet version if you like - like a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar, jam, or berries, the options are limited only to your imagination.

As usual, do check out what my fellow bakers have come up with. You will find their links on the TWD website, under the LYL: Puff Pastry Pizzettes link.