Savory Apple Tart & Caramelized Onions

The Foodies' KitchenDecember 5, 2022

This post is also available in / Esta entrada también está disponible en ESPAÑOL (SPANISH)

A cozy, savory apple tart that is perfect for the end of year season. The dough for this tart is easy to roll out but take your time doing it and make sure to add a little flour as you go. The added egg in the recipe gives it a wonderful texture and once it is baked it renders a buttery melt-in-your-mouth crust.

The filling is made from sour cream and cheddar cheese, spices, caramelized onions, and deliciously tart Washington Granny Smith Apples. The combination is amazing.

In this post, we’ll guide you step by step in making the tart which needs to be blind-baked. This simply means that you will add pie weights (or dried beans) to weigh it down as it is baked, unfilled. After it has baked, you add the filling and arrange the apple slices in any pattern you like. The filled tart crust goes into the oven once again to finish baking.

The finished result is a buttery crust with a creamy cheesy filling. You can serve it by itself, or pair it with a green salad or a nice hot bowl of chicken soup.

Washington Granny Smith Apples are ideal for baking, so we reach for them anytime we want to bake be it a savory or a dessert recipe. Their firm texture and tart flavor make them the best choice.

Helga & Kitty

Savory Apple Tart with Onions & Cheddar

Yield: 9 servings

Ingredients, for the crust:
2 sticks (8 oz. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, and freeze until firm
2 2/3 cups (13 1/2 oz./425 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) plus 3 Tbs. ice water

Ingredients, for the filling:
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 yellow onions, sliced into thin rings
1 cup (8 oz./250 g) sour cream
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups (6 oz./185 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped, plus more for garnish (optional)
3-4 Granny Smith Washington apples, cored, partially peeled, and thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

To make the crust, in a food processor, combine the butter, flour, and salt and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with some large pieces. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, and ice water. While pulsing, drizzle in the egg mixture until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, shape it into a rectangle and wrap well.
Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 14-by-21-inch (35-by-53-cm) rectangle and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. Coat a nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray. Fit the dough into the prepared baking sheet. Fold the excess dough under and pinch to form a crust that comes 1/2 inch (12 mm) above the rim. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
Position 1 rack in the upper third and 1 rack in the lower third of an oven. Preheat to 375°F (190°C).
Line the dough with parchment paper, pressing it flush against the surface of the dough and leaving a 2-inch (5 cm) overhang on all sides. Top with pie weights or dried beans. Fold the parchment over the edges of the crust. Bake on the lower oven rack for 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Remove the parchment and weights. Continue baking until the crust is golden brown and crisp, 15 to 17 minutes more. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C).
Meanwhile, make the filling: In a large fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil and swirl the pan to combine. Add the onions and cook until lightly browned and starting to caramelize, about 8 minutes per side. Remove from the heat.
In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and mustard and spread evenly over the crust. Sprinkle with 1 cup (4 oz./125 g) of the cheese and the thyme. Arrange the apple slices and onions on top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) cheese, and season with salt and pepper.
Bake on the top oven rack until the pastry is golden and the cheese is melted about 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then garnish with thyme, cut into slices and serve. Serves 6.

Have you made this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture with the hashtag #thefoodieskitchen!

Want more?

You can subscribe to our newsletter and we’ll send you the monthly recipes! You can also keep up to date on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or Tumblr.