Onion Bacon and Spinach Tart

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had to bring a dish to a potluck-type luncheon today. This is a yearly event, so I knew there would be a boatload of salads and macaroni dishes. Rather than contribute to the glut, I decided to strike out on my own and use the occasion as an excuse to test a recipe that has been sitting in my must-try bin for way too long a time. This tart has several virtues, the most important being how easy it is to prepare, but running a close second is its great flavor. I enjoyed this tart, but the next time I make it  I plan to use 2 or 3 additional slices of bacon and cut back just a bit on the spinach. I was in a hurry when I prepared my tarts, so rather than carefully measure the spinach I used a rather generous handful to approximate a one cup measure. As a result, my tarts were heavy on spinach, and while it gave the tarts great color, the spinach almost overwhelmed the other flavors. This is a great dish to try when you need something that comes together quickly. I do hope you'll give it a try. It is a nice change of pace from a standard quiche and I think you'll enjoy it. Here is how its made.

Onion Bacon and Spinach Tart...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
1 refrigerated rolled pie crust (from a 15-ounce package)
4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
6 cups baby spinach
1-1/2 pounds yellow onions (about 4), halved and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices (6 cups)
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided use
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 eggs
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Fit pie crust into 9-inch tart pan. Trim excess crust from top edge of tart pan; refrigerate while preparing filling.
2) Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bacon to skillet and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes. Add spinach to skillet and cook 1 minute, stirring until wilted. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon mixture to a paper-towel-lined plate.
3) Return skillet to medium heat and add onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the thyme. Cover and cook 25 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, or until browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool, uncovered, 5 minutes.
4) Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, pepper and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir bacon mixture and onions into eggs; stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into crust. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees F and continue to bake 20 minutes.
5) Heat broiler. Sprinkle tart with Gruyere and broil for 1 to 2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Yield: 8 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Baked Shells with Cauliflower and Cheese

Two Years Ago Today: Spiced Corn on the Cob

Three Years Ago Today: White Chocolate and Lime Cookies

Four Years Ago Today: Summer Rolls

Zucchini and Caramelized Onion Tart

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a wonderful zucchini dish, but I must tell you up front that there are two parts to this recipe and neither of them is quick to do. Now that you've been warned, I must also tell you that while the two recipes are not hard to make, they both are time consuming and require a lot of chopping. Are you still with me? The recipes come from Cooking Light and the tart makes a wonderful brunch, luncheon or light dinner entree. The work starts with caramelizing onions. Fortunately, the onions can be made several days before you plan to use them, and that helps reduce any last minute stress that might occur as the tart is put together. Once the onions are ready to go, you are free to move on to the second stage of this creation. There's nothing difficult here, save for the slicing of the zucchini, and once that's done the tart comes together quickly. The finished tart is beautiful and, while I won't make it often,  this recipe has gone into my brunch rotation. This is the kind of dish I like to serve to friends who are also good cooks. While leftover onions can be used for soup or for roast beef and blue cheese subs, the tart does not hold up well. It can, of course, be eaten, but it gets soggy and the texture seems to change if it sits too long. I hope my effort to be honest hasn't frightened you away. Here's the recipe for the brave among you.

Basic Caramelized Onions...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Cooking Light magazine

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
12 cups vertically sliced yellow onion
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil and butter; swirl until butter melts. Add onion and salt; cook 15 minutes or until onion begins to soften, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 50 minutes or until very tender, stirring occasionally. Cook an additional 10 minutes or until browned and caramelized, stirring frequently. Yield: 2 cups.

Zucchini and Caramelized Onion Tart...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Cooking Light magazine

Ingredients:
Pie dough for a 10-inch pie or tart pan
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups (1/8-inch-thick) slices zucchini
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped Basic Caramelized Onions
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 large eggs
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2) Roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Fit dough into a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate or quiche pan. Fold edges under and flute. Line dough with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 425 degrees F. for 12 minutes or until edges are golden. Remove weights and foil and bake an additional 2 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
3) Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.
4) Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add zucchini and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and sauté for 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Cool slightly.
5) Arrange Basic Caramelized Onions over bottom of crust and top with zucchini mixture. Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, milk, flour, pepper, eggs, and cheese in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Pour milk mixture over zucchini mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Yield: 6 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Turkish Chicpea and Potato Stew with Bahart + Cappadocian Cave Dwellings

Two Years Ago Today: Blue Cheese Dip

Three Years Ago Today: Scandinavian Yellow Pea Soup