There is nothing like a fresh sweet Summertime fig. Figs come in several varieties; Black Mission, Calimyrna, Brown Turkey, Kadota and several others, but no matter which one you choose, they all are super juicy and full of flavor. I have a fig tree in my backyard that produces figs a couple times a year, and I love to eat them fresh, or create lovely recipes with these beauties.
I make a lot of tarts when I entertain because they are easy to put together, and tarts are a great canvas to add any type of cheeses, fruits and vegetables. I make savory and sweet tarts, but for an appetizer I prefer a combination of both flavors.
In this recipe for Caramelized Onion & Fresh Fig Tart, I use puff pastry from the frozen section of the grocery store. First, let the pastry thaw, in the refrigerator, so it stays cold. Then, a quick blend of goat and cream cheeses in a stand mixer – for the perfect creamy topping.
If you don’t have fresh figs, you can always re-hydrate some dried figs and chop them up into chunks, but there is nothing like the taste of a fresh fig. Serve the tart with a nice glass of champagne or prosecco for an elegant beginning to a great party – it makes a perfect pairing.
Ingredients
1 store bought sheet of puff pastry, defrosted, but still cold
4 ounces of fresh goat cheese, room temperature
6 ounces of cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg
1 onion
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
5 fresh figs
1/4 cup heavy cream
olive oil
salt
pepper
(Serves 8)
To Prepare:
1. Preheat the oven to 375. In a stand mixer cream together the goat and cream cheeses on low speed for about 4 minutes.
2. Add the egg to the cheese mixture and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes.
2. Next, skin and slice the onion thinly. Place the onion in a skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Saute the onion until lightly golden for about 20 minutes on medium heat.
3. Add the fresh thyme leaves to the onions and continue to saute for about 10 more minutes. If the onions are too dry, add another drizzle of olive oil, but you don’t want your onions to be too greasy.
4. Turn off the heat under the onions and let them rest in the pan while you prepare your puff pastry. Remove the pastry from the packaging and roll out onto a lightly floured surface. Score a 1-inch border around the edge of the pastry and place the pastry on a baking sheet.
5. Spread the cheese mixture in the center of the pastry, leaving the border bare.
6. Sprinkle the onions over the cheese mixture. Slice each fig into 8 wedges and place them on top of the cheese as well.
7. Brush the edges of the pastry with heavy cream and place the tart in the oven to bake for 40-55 minutes, or until golden brown.
8. Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool on the pan until room temperature, about 45 minutes.
9. Using 2 spatulas, gently lift the tart from the sheet pan onto a wooden board or platter for serving. Enjoy!
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