Onion tart recipe

Tasty and easy, this delicious tart is ideal for a light supper or lunch, served with a green salad. It can be prepared the day before you want it and kept in the fridge overnight.

Ingredients

• 60g (2oz) butter
• 500g (1lb) onions, peeled and thinly sliced (Spanish are good)
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 175g (6oz) shortcrust pastry
• 1 large egg
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 300ml (½ pint) single cream (or half double cream and half milk)
• 30g (1oz) Gruyère cheese, grated
• 20-23cm (8-9in) flan tin

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large frying pan, add the onions and bay leaf. Season well. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook the onions over a low heat for 30 minutes, until soft and golden. Shake the pan occasionally to stop the onions from sticking. Leave to cool.
2. Roll out the pastry thinly, and use to line the flan tin, bringing it up to stand proud at the sides a little. Prick the pastry base with a fork. Chill while the oven heats up.
3. Set the oven to Gas Mark 6 or 200°C. Heat a heavy baking sheet in the oven. Beat the egg lightly in a bowl, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in the cream.
4. Remove the bay leaf from the onions. Spread the onions over the pastry base. Pour in the egg-and-cream mixture and sprinkle with the cheese.
5. Put the flan on the hot baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes until set and golden. Serve warm with salad, if liked.
6. Not suitable for freezing.
7. To prepare ahead, cook the onions and line the flan case with pastry and keep both, covered, in the fridge ready for making the flan the next day.