Sweet Onion, Wild Garlic and Goats Cheese Tart

Cant beet a yummy pie...children galloped this one down and came back for seconds.  Goal achieved. I used to make a tomato and basel tart in the early days of growing Monachyle Mhor Hotel with my mother before Tom Lewis took the reigns and I headed to art school in London.  Being my mothers eyes as she lost hers husband and two other sons to feed we  devoured cook books together creating what ever took are fancy and what was in the larder! And so this recipe is a close friend just changing the ingredients to suit the season. Hard to fail, loyal dish that make family and friends want to come again!

RECIPE

Filling
55g/2oz/4tbsp butter
4 large white onions, finely sliced.
Salt and Pepper
About 40 wild garlic leaves, shredded
4 eggs
300 ml/10fl 0z/1.1/4 cups single cream
Nutmeg, freshly grated
100g/31/2 oz soft goat's cheese (get a punchy strong one for a good taste)

Pastry
175/6oz  wholemeal plain (whole wheat all-purpose) flour.
50g/13/4 0z/4tbsp cold butter, cubed
40g/1.1/2oz /3tbsp cold lard cubed
Pinch of Salt

1. To make the pastry put all the ingredients in a bowl and rub the fat into the flour moving it through the fingers gently until it starts to make breadcrumbs.  Gradually add 3 tablespoon of cold water and stir with a knife until it starts to clump into large crumbs.  Use your hands to bring it all together and do not over work it.

2. Roll out the pastry thinly on a floured surface.  Line a tart dish about 24 com/91/2 inches in diameter, leaving some pastry overhanging.  Prick the pastry all over with a fork and put it in the freezer for 20 minutes.  9If you are using a ceramic dish,  put it into the fridge for about 30 minutes)

2. Preheat the oven to 200 C 400 F / Gas mark 6.  The great thing if you freeze or get the pastry very chilled you can put it straight into the oven with out having to bake it grind for 15 mins until slightly coloured.

4. Meanwhile, to make the filling,  melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low-medium heat.  Add the sliced onions (the more they make you cry the better quality they are)  and season quite generously with salt,  to help draw out the moisture.  Continue to cook,  string occasionally,  for about 30 mins or until the onions have complete collapsed, are soft, golden and quite sweet.  Test them before you stop cooking to check they have absolutely no 'bite' left in them.  Add the shredded garlic leaves,  stir briefly so they wilt, then remove the pan from the heat.

5. Beat the eggs lightly in a bowl.  Add the cream and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.  Pour this over the onions and stir everything together.  Tip the custard into the pastry shell and tearing apart the goats cheese leaving blobs in the mix.

6.  Bake the filled tart for 30-35 minutes,  until the custard is risen round the edges but not in the centre of the tart - it should be almost set.  Leave to cool for 15 minutes or so before serving with a crisp green salad.