French Onion Tart

I really should be doing 'things'. You know, 'things' like reading the school notices I'm way behind on and mopping the floor. But I'm blogging and looking out the window and watching the rain fall through the sunshine. I had to skip my work-out this morning as I have one son home from school with a cold. Skipping my work-out throws my routine out of whack. Instead of doing mountain climbers and burpees I'm making chicken soup and getting up-dates on what Katniss Everdeen is up to (my son is reading The Mockingjay in bed). I think I need to DO some 'thing'. May be a slice of  French Onion Tart and another cup of coffee will be a good place to start.


French Onion Tart
from Everyday Gourmet

3 large brown onions, finely sliced
3 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
20g butter
1 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

2 sheets of puff pastry

25 g butter
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup milk
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup emmental cheese

Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees C. Grease a medium- large tart tin. Line the tin with the pastry and poke all over with a fork. Place a large piece of grease proof paper in the tart shell and chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Place cooking weights on top of the grease proof paper and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Turn the oven down to 175?C.

Melt the butter with the oil in a large pan on low heat. Add the onions, bay leaf and thyme. Season well with salt and pepper and cook on a low heat for 45 minutes. Stir regularly until the onions are soft and translucent. Allow to cool slightly and remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.

For the béchamel, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and stir to make the roux. Gradually add all the milk. Turn the heat up and whisk until the mixture becomes thick. Remove from the heat and season well with the salt and pepper. Add the nutmeg and cheese. Allow to cool slightly before whisking in the egg yolk.

Add the béchamel to the onions and allow to cool slightly. Spoon onion mixture into the pre-cooked tart shell and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown and set.