Upside-Down Onion Tart

A savoury version of the classic French apple tart.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons sugar

¼ + ¼ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cider or wine vinegar

2 tablespoons neutral flavoured oil e.g. rice bran or sunflower

2 medium-sized red (or brown) onions

½ teaspoon mixed herbs

Black pepper and/or chilli flakes

½ cup grated Angel Food cheddar

1 sheet pastry, puff or shortcrust, thawed

To serve: hummus and tasty leaves e.g. rocket or watercress

Instructions

1.        Preheat oven to 200°C.

2.        Measure sugar, first ¼ tsp salt, vinegar and oil into a suitable ovenproof dish (I use a cast iron frying pan because the heat it holds caramelises the onions beautifully – the only negative is that I sometimes automatically reach for the frying pan handle with my bare hand, forgetting it’s been in the oven rather than on the stovetop… ouch) and set aside.

3.        Trim the ends off the onions and and peel them. Slice them crosswise as evenly as possible, about 5mm thick. Don’t stress about it too much: you only need enough tidy slices to make the bottom layer.

4.        Arrange the onion slices in the dish on top of the oil and vinegar mix. Make the first layer tidy, then add the rest on top, spread out as evenly as possible. Sprinkle over the second measure of salt, the mixed herbs, pepper and chill, and grated cheddar.

5.        Trim the pastry to fit over the top and place it over the fillings. Tuck the edges in and press down to form a seal. Prick the pastry in several places with a fork to allow steam to escape during cooking.

6.        Bake for about 30 minutes until the top is golden brown.

7.        Remove from oven. Gently loosen the edges of the crust from the pan using a small knife. Put a plate or board on top of the pan, and then flip the whole thing over. You do need to remove it from the pan soon after it comes out of the oven, before the caramelised onion adheres firmly to the pan and makes a graceful removal impossible. Even so, some of the onion rings will likely stick to the pan – just lift them back on to the tart.

8.        Before serving (hot, warm or cold) top with a big dollop of hummus and some tasty leaves.