Versatile is the word for this dish. Kelly & I made this for dinner when the menfolk were away for a few days. We wanted a recipe that used the Swiss chard we had picked up from the CSA and this met that criteria. The caramelized onions and two kinds of cheeses were bonus points for us. It was a recipe that we could divide and conquer. I made the crust and had it ready ahead of time. When Kelly arrived, she worked on caramelizing the onions and wilting the chard while I mixed together the rest of the filling ingredients. While we prepared and made it for a meatless dinner, the tart would also work very well as a side dish to go with a protein or it could be a lighter fare lunch. It would even work as a savory breakfast or brunch item. We ate it right out of the oven, but it could be served at room temperature, too. I’d go so far as to eat it cold, right from the refrigerator, but that’s just me. The title says it all – this is a versatile dish!

Caramelized Onion & Swiss Chard Tart (adapted from haapsandbarley.com)

 Ingredients:

Pastry:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons milk, plus more, if needed

Filling:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 small onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, ribs removed, leaves roughly chopped
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled

Instructions:

Butter a 9-inch pie plate or tart pan and dust it with flour, shaking off the excess flour. Set the dish aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour and salt. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until the dough resembles coarse meal. Add the egg yolk and milk, mixing until the dough comes together into a uniform ball.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and press it into a flat disk. With a rolling pin, evenly flatten the dough into a large circle, about 1/4-inch thick, large enough to fit into the prepared dish with the edges slightly hanging over the sides. Gently transfer the dough into the dish, fluting or trimming the dough edges. Refrigerate the pastry for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and line it with foil. Add pie weights, dried beans, or a slightly smaller but tight fitting pie plate inside the pastry and bake it for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and set the crust aside to cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF. Heat the oil and butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Sauté the onions until they are soft and golden, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Add the Swiss chard in batches until it is wilted, stirring frequently. Remove the pan from the heat and set the mixture aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until they are smooth.

Stir in the Parmesan, salt, pepper, and the Swiss chard mixture.

Pour the filling into the pre-baked pie crust. Sprinkle the goat cheese over the filling and bake the tart until it is set and golden on top, about 35-40 minutes.

Serve immediately or at room temperature.

This dish can be served any time of day!  ~Linda

Caramelized Onion & Swiss Chard Tart (adapted from haapsandbarley.com)

 Ingredients:

Pastry:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons milk, plus more, if needed

Filling:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 small onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, ribs removed, leaves roughly chopped
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled

Instructions:

Butter a 9-inch pie plate or tart pan and dust it with flour, shaking off the excess flour. Set the dish aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour and salt. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until the dough resembles coarse meal. Add the egg yolk and milk, mixing until the dough comes together into a uniform ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and press it into a flat disk. With a rolling pin, evenly flatten the dough into a large circle, about 1/4-inch thick, large enough to fit into the prepared dish with the edges slightly hanging over the sides. Gently transfer the dough into the dish, fluting or trimming the dough edges. Refrigerate the pastry for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and line it with foil. Add pie weights, dried beans, or a slightly smaller but tight fitting pie plate inside the pastry and bake it for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and set the crust aside to cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF. Heat the oil and butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Sauté the onions until they are soft and golden, about 20 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Add the Swiss chard in batches until it is wilted, stirring frequently. Remove the pan from the heat and set the mixture aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until they are smooth. Stir in the Parmesan, salt, pepper, and the Swiss chard mixture. Pour the filling into the pre-baked pie crust. Sprinkle the goat cheese over the filling and bake the tart until it is set and golden on top, about 35-40 minutes. Serve immediately or at room temperature.