Onion Tart 2

This onion tart is simple to make, and less rich than the earlier one featured in this blog. It is best if left until the following day.

4 tablespoons olive oil or butter
6 medium onions (about 900 g/1.9 pounds), peeled and thinly sliced
3 thyme sprigs
salt
one sheet shortcrust pastry for 23 (9 inch) cm flan tin or ceramic dish

Heat the oil or butter in a low-sided heavy-bottomed pan. Cook the onions over medium slow heat until soft and juicy. This will take about 30 minutes. Add salt and cook a few minutes more. Put into a bowl to cool. If the onions are very juicy, pour them into a strainer over a bowl to drain. Remove the liquid.
Roll out the pastry into the flan tin or ceramic dish.
Spread the onions over the dough (removing the thyme sprigs as you go).
Bake on the bottom rack of a preheated 190 C/375 F for 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown on the bottom. Slide the tart on a rack to cool. Serve warm.

Note: You may add some black olives and anchovies for more flavour, if desired.

This is an adapted recipe from Alice Waters' book, "The Art of Simple Food: Recipes, Notes and Lessons from a Delicious Revolution", 2007.

Pavlova

This classic Australian dessert looks good and tastes even better, and my guests said recently it was the best pavlova they have ever tasted!

Serves 6 to 8.

6 egg whites, at room temperature
pinch salt
2 cups caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
whipped cream for filling
fruit or other topping of your choice

If you have a gas oven, preheat it to very hot (230 C/450 F) before starting to mix pavlova. If you have an electric oven, preheat it to slow (150 C/300 F).

Beat egg whites with salt at high speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, beating well after each addition. Stop beating when all sugar has been incorporated and fold in vinegar and vanilla.

Pile mixture into a greased 20 cm (8 inch) china flan dish and lightly smooth top.
OR pile mixture into a greased 20 cm (8 inch) springform tin and lightly smooth top.
OR cover a baking tray with greased foil, mark a 20 cm (8 in) circle; mould up sides with a spatula and make a slight depression on top.

If using a gas oven, turn heat to lowest temperature, put pavlova in and bake 1 1/2 hour or until crip on top and a pale straw colour.

If using an electric oven, put pavlova in and bake 45 minutes, then turn oven off and leave with door shut for 1 hour.

When pavlova is cooked, remove from oven and cool completely. Remove sides of springform tin, if using. Fill pavlova generously with whipped cream, then with your choice of topping.

NOTE: The meringue may be sprinkled with blanched, slivered almonds before baking. They will toast to a golden brown.

This recipe comes from Margaret Fulton's "Encyclopaedia of Food and Cookery", 1983.