Serves a Crowd

Chard, Cauliflower and Caramelized Onion in Cheese Crust

by:
March  6, 2011
3.5
2 Ratings
  • Serves 8 to 10
Author Notes

Taking the picture of this tart was as much fun as making it. Went to Discovery Park Lighthouse to take the photo and everyone who walked buy offered to purchase it!

My intention with this tart was to pack in as much chard as possible. The cauliflower adds to the texture.

The crust is one of my favorites. I combined an idea from Shirley O. Corriher’s book "Cookwise" to add Parmesan cheese, cayenne and a dash of nutmeg in the crust with Martha Stewart's recipe for Flaky Tart Dough. - SKK —SKK

Test Kitchen Notes

This savory pie is delicious! The recipe has several steps, so make it when you have some time but do make it because this pie is well worth the effort. The crust came together well -- the recipe didn't give a measurement for the amount of water, I ended up using about 1/4 cup -- and it cooked up nice and crispy. In fact this crust would be a nice base for other savory pies. For the filling, each component was simple to cook and easy to put together; the roasting and caramelizing just takes a bit of time. The cheese-egg mixture and cauliflower are creamy and then there’s the nice flavor of the chard finished off with the sweetness of the onions -- yum! I might even suggest adding more onions, they were that good! This is a great recipe for a fall or winter day. - cathy —cathy

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Ingredients
  • Filling for Tart
  • 2 pounds cauliflower, cored and cut into small pieces to roast evenly
  • 1 bunch chard, stems removed and cut into bite size pieces
  • 4 cups onion, about 2 medium, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 eggs, large
  • 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
  • 1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
  • salt
  • pepper
  • Flaky Tart Crust with Cheese for 10 inch Tart
  • 1.5 cups unbleached AP white flour plus more for work surface
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 10 tablespoons butter, cold cut into pieces
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
Directions
  1. Filling for Tart
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In glass baking pan with sides, toss cauliflower with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. If necessary use 2 pans. Roast 15 minutes, turn cauliflower over, then turn oven to 375 and roast another 25 to 30 minutes, checking every 10 minutes, until cauliflower is softened and starting to turn light brown. Set califlower aside.
  3. In a thick, wide-bottomed sauté pan melt 3 tablespoons of butter and add the onions. Salt to taste. (AntoniaJames added fresth thyme at this point and it sounds wonderful!) Cook the onions over medium low heat (sweating them) stirring about every 20 minutes until the onions are honey colored. Take out ¾ of the onions and set aside, leaving ¼ of the onions in the pan.
  4. If needed add additional olive oil to 1/4 onions left and sauté 2 minced garlic cloves over medium heat. Add chard, 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne, salt and pepper to taste and toss. Put tight fitting lid on pan and cook until chard is soft. Squeeze extra liquid out of chard and set aside.
  5. Now we make the sauce. Whisk 3 eggs together in bowl, add 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, dash of pepper. Stir together and set aside.
  1. Flaky Tart Crust with Cheese for 10 inch Tart
  2. In food processor pulse flour and salt together. Then add 10 tablespoons of cut butter and pulse for about 10 seconds until mixture looks like corn meal. Add Parmesan cheese, cayenne pepper and nutmeg and pulse several times until mixed.
  3. Put dough in medium bowl, add water and using a wooden spoon or spatula gradually gather the mixture into a ball adding water as needed. Make the ball into a disk and wrap in plastic and freeze the dough for 10 minutes or chill it in fridge for 30 minutes.
  4. Roll out dough on floured surface and when large enough and about 1/4 " thick place in pie or tart pan, crimp edges and put back in the freezer for 10 minutes.
  5. Take dough out of freezer, line it with tin foil or parchment paper, weight the bottom with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 400 degrees F for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully remove weights and foil or parchment paper. Turn oven to 325 degrees F and bake for another 20 minutes or until done. Take out of oven.
  6. Filling the Crust 1. caramelized onions on bottom 2. chard on top of onions 3. cauliflower on top, broken into bite size pieces 4. pour sauce over filling 5. cover the top with 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
  7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 - 45 minutes until tart is bubbling and brown. Transfer to rack and cool 15 minutes before serving.

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Recipe by: SKK

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23 Reviews

inpatskitchen September 17, 2016
Wow! First time I'm seeing this...it looks and sounds wonderful!
Josie M. June 16, 2013
This is delicious. Everyone loved it. Granted, it did take me around 4 hours to make! Next time I'll make 2 at once (freeze one). And I think it won't take so long the 2nd time. This would also be great with mushrooms.
SKK June 16, 2013
Glad you enjoyed it, Josie. Mushrooms sound like a great addition!
TheWimpyVegetarian September 17, 2011
Love love love this!! I think I'll make it this weekend! It looks so perfect for fall!!
SKK October 25, 2011
Thanks Chez Suzanne!
AntoniaJames September 15, 2011
Love this! Definitely on the "must try" list. Make that the "must try soon" list. Saved!! ;o)
SKK September 15, 2011
Thank you so much, AntoniaJames. I didn't know this recipe was a pick until I got your message! Please let me know how it goes and if you have improvements.
AntoniaJames September 16, 2011
Made this tonight for dinner. Fantastic! I added a bit of fresh thyme with the onions. So, so good. ;o)
SKK September 16, 2011
Love the thyme idea!
Bevi August 28, 2011
Three of my favorite things in a cheese crust! YUM!
SKK August 31, 2011
Thanks, Bevi. It is a great crust.
boulangere March 23, 2011
Chard, the greatest green ever plus cheese - looks like summer to me!
SKK March 24, 2011
Thank you boulangere! Appreciate the comments. I have family in Helena and Missoula - maybe we will run into each other in Big Sky country.
lapadia March 23, 2011
This sounds delicious, SKK! Especially love all the cheese used, and a great crust! Notice you are from Seattle, I moved from the Eastside to Gig Harbor...Cheers to the PacNW!
SKK March 24, 2011
Welcome to the west from east of the lake! Thank you for your kind comments.
Sagegreen March 7, 2011
Yum. You sure look like a baker to me!
SKK March 24, 2011
Sagegreen, think of you often and am making your incredible recipes. What a gift you are to food52.
fiveandspice March 7, 2011
What a great sounding combination of flavors!
SKK March 7, 2011
Thank you fiveandspice! I made these all week-end and the house still smells so good.
epowersbrown March 7, 2011
This is beautiful and interesting...something to serve that inspires everyone! Beautiful, beautiful!!!
SKK March 7, 2011
Thank you epowersbrown! I sent the very tart there is a picture of on a boat trip today - friends were moving their 65 foot boat from Seattle to Anacortes - and I wanted something that would look good and be easy to eat.
hardlikearmour March 6, 2011
Sounds really yummy! Love roasted cauliflower in any form, and this sounds particularly good.
SKK March 7, 2011
Hardlikearmour, I so appreciated your link with the Cooks Illustrated pie dough recipe. And next week I will be making your sunchoke tart. Really looking forward to the current recipe and any tweaks you make.