The best thing about this recipe… I was able to get every last ingredient at Trader Joe’s. The onions take some patience, but well worth the wait. It’s impossible for anything topped with cheese & crème fraîche to be anything but delicious.
It’s rich, decadent and perfect as an unexpected Thanksgiving side.
Caramelized Onion and Butternut Squash Tart – Serves 8
adapted from Vanessa Larson, Food52
INGREDIENTS
1 pie crust – rolled out slightly larger to fit an 11″ tart pan
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed small (about the size of a chicklet)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large yellow onions, halved and sliced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 eggs
7.5 ounces crème fraîche
4 ounces Gruyère, grated
2 ounces Parmesan, grated
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 sprigs thyme – leaves removed
INSTRUCTIONS
Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring to mix. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until dark golden brown, about 30 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and cook an additional 5 minutes. Let cool.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450° F. Toss butternut squash with olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and spread out on baking sheet. Bake until browned and very soft, stirring once, about 20 minutes.
Reduce oven heat to 375°. On a lightly floured surface roll out store bought pie crust into a 12-inch round. Fit dough into an 11” tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Prick all over with a fork. Freeze pastry shell 20 minutes.
Line pastry shell with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake shell in middle of oven until edge is pale golden, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights or rice and bake shell 10 minutes more, or until bottom is golden. Leave oven on. Cool shell in pan on a rack.
Reduce oven heat to 350° F. In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, crème fraîche, gruyère, Parmesan, and black pepper.
Spread caramelized onions in bottom of tart and top with butternut squash. Pour gruyère mixture over the squash, making sure to spread it evenly over the tart.
Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 25 minutes.