Carmelized Onion & Bacon Tart

~ Katy ~

It was high time for another dinner party, and boy did we do it up right! It was Warren’s 49th birthday, and I put together a decadent menu, including the Mexican Kahlua Cake from Foodo. The first course was a Carmelized Onion Tart, and it was to die for!

I think I’ll have to make it again for our Christmas Eve gathering at JP and Kori’s. I’ll use the Chicago Bacon that Mary and John brought me when they came to visit over Thanksgiving. The recipe is from Oprah Magazine. The fresh thyme and ricotta cheese are fantastic with the onion and bacon. I used the tart crust recipe from the Asparagus Tart  I made awhile back. It’s convenient, because you can make it, freeze it a few days before you need to use it, then put it in for the first round of baking the night before or morning of your party.

Carmelized Onion and Bacon Tart

I used the same tart crust from the Asparagus Tart recipe.

4 slices bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces

4 small onions, cut in half lengthwise and thickly sliced

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

Kosher salt

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

1 egg yolk

Freshly ground pepper

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano

8” tart or pie shell

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cook bacon in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat until fat is mostly rendered and bacon is crisp around edges. Transfer to paper towels to drain, and set aside, leaving 1 tablespoon bacon fat in pan. Crumble bacon after cooling.

2. Add onions to pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown, about 8 minutes. Turn heat to medium low and add 1 tablespoon thyme and pinch salt. Continue to cook until onions are soft and deep golden brown, about 20 minutes more.

3. Meanwhile, combine ricotta, egg yolk, ½ teaspoon salt, pinch pepper, 1 teaspoon thyme, and ¼ cup Parmigiano in a small bowl. Stir well to combine.

4. Spread ricotta mixture evenly on the bottom of tart shell. Arrange onions on top of ricotta and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmigiano. Sprinkle bacon over top. Transfer to oven and bake until edges of filling are golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Makes 6-8 servings