Caramelized onion tartlets

 

     These are wonderful warm or chilled, and the sesame-seed pastry adds subtle flavor and texture.

Makes 26 tartlets

Sesame-seed pastry

• 1 and one-third cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• ¼ cup sesame seeds
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Caramelized onion filling

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 large Spanish or Vidalia onions, thinly sliced and slices halved
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup milk
• Pinch of salt

Prepare Sesame-seed pastry

1. Place flour, butter, sesame seeds and salt in medium-size bowl.
2. Blend mixture with pastry blender or 2 knives until coarse-crumbed ; add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with fork until moist enough to hold together.
3. Shape into ball ; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
4. Roll pastry out with floured rolling pin on floured surface to one-eigth-inch thickness ; cut pastry into circles using 3-inch-round cookie cutter.
5. Press pastry circles into 26 greased 2½-inch tartlet pans ; refrigerate until ready to fill.

Prepare caramelized onion filling

1. Heat butter and oil in large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onions and sugar ; cook, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes or until onions are caramelized, dark to medium brown, do not let burn.
3. Cool slightly.
4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400F.
5. Place pastry-lined tartlet pans on baking sheet ; divide onion mixture equally among tartlet shells.
6. Lightly beat eggs in small bowl ; beat in milk and salt.
7. Pour mixture over onions in shells, dividing equally.
8. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until set.
9. Serve warm or chilled.

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