Onion Tartlets A La Monica Recipes

FRENCH ONION TARTLETS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray both sides of bread and press bread into small 12 cup muffin tin. If you do not own a muffin tin, disposable tins are available on the baking aisle of market. Place bread in oven and toast until golden, 7 or 8 minutes. Remove and reserve.
• In a skillet, melt butter into oil. Add onions and bay leaf, season with thyme, salt and pepper. Cook onions until caramel colored, 15 to 18 minutes.
• Turn broiler on.
• Place spoonfuls of cooked onions in toasted bread cups. Discard bay leaf. Cover onions with cheese and set tarts under hot broiler to bubble and brown cheese. Serve hot.

ONION TARTLETS A LA MONICA

Steps:

• place the flour and salt in the work bowl of a food processor.
• add the butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• add the cold water 1 tablespoon at a time and pulse just until the dough comes together.
• turn the dough out onto a floured counter and roll it to a thickness of 1/8 inch.
• use a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter or juice glass to punch out about 18 circles of dough.
• grease 2 regular 12 cup muffin tins.
• press each circle into 1 cup, gently pushing the dough part way up the side of each cup.
• (there will be some empty cups) chill the pastry in the muffin tins while you prepare the filling.
• heat the oil in a largenonstick skillet, add the onions and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until they are soft and you are no longer crying.
• about 10 minutes stir in the sugar and continue cooking until the onions start to burn at any time.
• season the carmelized inions with salt and pepper to taste and set them aside.
• preheat the oven to 400 degrees divide the onion,mixture among the pastry shells beat the eggs with the fork in a measuring cup.
• beat in the milk carefully pour a tablespoon or so into each pastry shell.
• bake until the edges of the pastry turn golden brown and the filling is set.
• ,about 20 minutes.
• unmold tartlets by running a sharp knife around the edge and turning them gently onto a kitchen towel.
• serve the tatlets warm with champagne or a fancy cocktail-- this is not beer food!
• makes 18 tartlets.

CARAMELIZED ONION TARTLETS

Steps:

• Let refrigerated pie crusts come to room temperature; cut with 3-inch round biscuit cutter or glass. Press crust circle in each of 24 small muffin cups, 1 3/4x1 inch.
• Melt butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook 3/4 cup onion in butter 5 minutes, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to medium. Cook about 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and golden brown; remove from heat.
• Heat oven to 400°. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in sour cream, salt and pepper sauce. Stir in onion. Stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese. Spoon onion mixture into crusts. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown and set in center. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with additional onion.

CARAMELIZED ONION TARTLETS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat and stir in onion. Pour in red wine to cover the bottom of the pan and sprinkle with sugar. Cook and stir until onions are tender and translucent, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Combine heavy cream, mozzarella cheese, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Stir into onion mixture.
• Cut pie crusts into 3-inch circles using a cookie cutter. Place circles into the bottom of 12 muffin cups in a muffin tin.
• Spoon onion mixture evenly on top of the tart crusts.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before popping tartlets out of the muffin tin.

BALSAMIC ONION TARTLETS

Steps:

• Under medium to low heat, place olive oil and onions in a skillet and cook for 3 or 4 minutes so that onions begin to soften but not brown.
• Add 1/3 cup of chicken broth to the onions and continue to cook until the liquid evaporates. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add thyme and another 1/3 cup of broth, and cook until the liquid evaporates.
• Add the balsamic vinegar and the remaining broth, cooking until liquid evaporates. The final simmer takes about 12-15 minutes.
• The results will be soft and tender onions with a tart sauce that is slightly syrupy but not at all loose.
• To fill the Phyllo cups you can either use a pastry bag with a star tip or a teaspoon. If you are using cream cheese, allow it to soften a bit and mix with a tablesoon of milk.) Place a small amount of the yogurt or cream cheese in the shell filling about 1/3 to 1/2 way to the top. Top each with a spoonful of the onions.
• Bake the tartlets in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
• To garnish, you can pipe little rosettes of yogurt or cream cheese on top and sprinkle with a few fresh thyme leaves.

CARAMELIZED-ONION TARTLETS

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Cook onion, butter, water, salt, and pepper, covered, in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is deep golden brown and very tender, about 25 minutes.
• While onion cooks, roll out dough to slightly less than 1/8 inch thick. Cut out 12 rounds with cutter and lightly press each into a mini-muffin cup. Bake until pale golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove tartlet shells from muffin pan.
• Stir together crème fraîche and chives and divide among shells, then top with caramelized onions.

CARAMELIZED ONION TARTLETS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add onions and sugar. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until the onions are golden brown, stirring frequently. Stir in water and bouillon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-7 minutes or until liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese., Melt remaining butter. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface; brush with butter. Brush to distribute evenly. Repeat with a second sheet; brush with butter. Cut into 12 squares. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent drying.) Repeat three times, making 48 squares., Press one square into a greased miniature muffin cup. Top with another square of phyllo, placing corners off center. Spoon about 1 tablespoon onion mixture into cup. Repeat with remaining phyllo squares and onion mixture. Bake at 375° for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.