Roquefort Cheese and Onion Tart

Roquefort cheese has been described as “the king of cheeses, and the cheese of kings.” It is produced in the limestone caves of Combalou, near Rouergue in the south-central part of France. Roquefort is made from ewe’s milk and is considered the most refined of the blue cheeses. True Roquefort is assertive and creamy, and every effort should be made to secure authentic Roquefort for this recipe. Roquefort goes well with red wines and some believe a crisp white wine or Sauternes to be an excellent pairing

PASTRY
• 1 cup [240 mL] all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of white pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon [1 mL] garlic powder
• 5 ounces [140 g] cold unsalted butter, diced
• About 1⁄4 cup [60 mL] ice water

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FILLING
• 1⁄4 cup [60 mL] olive oil
• 2 pounds [900 g] sweet onions, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 ounces [225 g] Roquefort cheese, crumbled
• Salt and black pepper to taste

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ADVANCE PREPARATION
• Sift the flour, salt, white pepper, and garlic powder into a bowl. Add the butter. Using a pastry knife, cut in the butter to form a mixture resembling coarse meal. (There should be visible pieces of butter in the dough.)
• Add only enough ice water to form a dough that holds its shape; do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate at least 1 hour before rolling out. (The pastry can be made 1 day in advance.)

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P R E PA R AT I O N O F T H E F I L L I N G
• Heat 2 tablespoons [30 mL] of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add the onions and cook over very low heat, covered, for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The onions should achieve the consistency of a purée without coloring them.
• Add the garlic and cook, uncovered, until almost all of the moisture has evaporated. Reserve and allow to cool. Mix in the Roquefort cheese and season with salt and pepper. The Roquefort may be quite salty, so use caution when seasoning.

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A S S E M B LY O F T H E TA R T
• Roll out the dough into a 12-inch [30-cm] circle, 1⁄8 inch [3 mm] thick. Press the dough into a 9-inch [23-cm] fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Add the Roquefort filling, smoothing the surface with an offset spatula.

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COOKING METHOD
• Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons [30 mL] of olive oil over the surface of the tart and bake at 375°F [190°C] for 45 minutes, or until the surface of the tart is golden brown. (The tart can be made one day in advance.)

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S E R V I C E
• Cut the tart into 8 wedges. Serve 1 wedge per person at room temperature

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