{Rustic Onion Tart}

I love the word rustic, its so comfortable and this is comfort food for summer, I dreamily made my pastry thinking its the kind of tart you would chuck together if you had a little farm with a veg patch, some chooks and a cow, maybe you walked down the lane to another little farm to grab your wholemeal flour, from Joe the hot farmer wearing the dungarees but no shirt ??!! 

I think I've possibly been reading too many books about moving to the country, and am possibly going a bit mad living so close to the city. Anyway the pastry was a real surprise with this tart, its so delicious (maybe that's the parmesan!) its crisp and flaky and totally lush, enjoy with a green salad and a glass of vino.

...the pastry

60g sr flour

60g wholemeal flour

pinch salt

1/2 tsp mustard powder

60g butter, cubed

40g parmesan, grated

cold water

...the filling

700g onions, sliced thinly

60g butter

2 eggs

150ml cream

2 tbsp parmesan, grated

For the onions, simply slice them up thinly and then cook them gently in the butter till they are golden brown, this will take about 30 minutes, give them the occasional stir while you make your pastry.

Sift the flours, mustard and salt into a bowl then rub in the butter till it forms breadcrumbs, then add the parmesan and enough cold water to bring it together to a nice smooth pastry (its not much), form it into a disk then wrap in clingwrap and pop into the fridge for 30 minutes.

Have your oven at 180. Roll the pastry out, spray your pie dish with spray oil then drop the pastry in, squish it around till its lined then prick the bottom gently with a fork and bake for 15 minutes, take it out and brush it with some of the whisked egg you are going to use for the filling then pop it back in the oven for 5 minutes.

Add the cream to the eggs, season them and give it a good whisk.

Now layer the onions on the bottom then pour over the cream mixture, sprinkle with the extra parmesan cheese and bake for around 25 - 30 minutes till golden brown.

Let it stand for ten minutes before slicing up.