Don’t look at the long list of ingredients for this cipollini tart and think for a minute this is a difficult recipe, because it’s not. But it’s without a doubt one of the finest ones on our blog. I’ve made if for what seems like a ballroom full of guests, and everyone can’t get enough.
There’s is one small caveat, though: Bleu de Gex isn’t the easiest cheese to find. But do some investigative work in your local markets, because the difference it makes is noticeable.–David Leite
LC Don't Get the Blues over Bleu Note
Bleu de Gex. What the hell is that, right? We asked the same thing–and more important, where can we find it? A scouring of New York City cheese shops and came up empty-handed. (Well, not really we had a refrigerator full of lovely cheeses….) If you can’t find the marvelous B de G cheese, fret not. You can substitute Bleu d’Auvergne (another illusive cheese), or good old Stilton. Trust us, your tart will be just as delicious, just as creamy, just as requested.
Special Equipment: 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom
Cipollini and Bleu de Gex Tart Recipe
Ingredients
- For the cipollini
- 1 1/2 pounds cipollini onions, peeled and quartered
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup loosely packed rosemary leaves
- 1 tablespoon finely sliced sage leaves
- t tablespoon thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- For the tart dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3 to 5 tablespoons ice water
- For the filling
- 1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta, drained if wet
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup crème fraîche
- Pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the royale
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon crème fraîche
- 1/2 pound Bleu de Gex, rind removed and cut into 1/4-inch slices, (Stilton or Bleu d’Auvergne may be substituted)
Directions
- Prepare the cipollini
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175C°). In a small bowl, toss together the onions, olive oil, rosemary, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. Spread the mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast until the onions are soft and begin to color but still hold their shape, about 45 minutes. Remove the pan to a rack to cool.
- Make the tart dough
- 2. Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles small peas, about 10 one-second pulses. While pulsing the mixer, drizzle 3 tablespoons of the ice water through the feed tube until the dough starts to come together. Use the remaining water–one tablespoon at time–if needed. Don’t over-mix.
- 3. Spread the filling evenly in the tart shell. Scatter 3/4 of the onions in the tart shell and drizzle with the royale. Arrange the slices of cheese on top. Dot with the remaining onions.
- Make the filling
- 4. Whisk the ricotta, egg yolk, and olive oil in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in the crème fraîche and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Make the royale
- 5. Whisk the egg, flour, and salt in a small bowl. Heat the cream and milk in a small saucepan until hot but not boiling, then slowly add it to the egg-flour mixture, whisking until smooth. Stir in the crème fraîche. Set aside.
- Bake the cipollini tart
- 6. Raise the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Place the rack on the bottom third of the oven.
- 7. Bake the tart for 30 minutes, rotating 180 degrees after 15 minutes. Cover the tart with foil and bake for another 15 minutes. If the pastry need more color, increase the heat to 400°F (200°C), leave the tart covered and bake for 10 to 15 more minutes. Cool on a rack. Serve warm.
Hungry for more? Chow down on these:
- Pear, Caramelized Onion and Blue Cheese Tart from The Pioneer Woman
- Cipollini and Mushroom Tart from The Kitchn
- Scallion and Feta Pie from Thessaly from Leite's Culinaria
- Gooey, Cheesy Baked Onion Soup from Leite's Culinaria
Cipollini and Bleu de Gex Tart Recipe © 2005 Suzanne Goin. Photos © 2012 Kate Jackson. All rights reserved.
Seriously, this is so amazing! I have made it a handful of times and it is super-easy. Give it a go! Thanks for this recipe, I love it.
ariana, I’m so glad you like it. It’s one of my favorites.
Delicious! I’ve made this twice, and both times found it to be nearly orgasmic. Couldn’t find Bleu de Gex, so I substituted Bleu d’Auvergne with fantastic results!
Ashley, I couldn’t agree with you more!
This is one of the best things I have ever tasted in my life…no exaggeration. It’s a complete slice of heaven!
Music to our ears, Kate! So glad you liked it, so glad you took a moment to let us know…
Oh, how we love this tart! I followed the recipe exactly the first time (ahem…as “exactly” as I could; I really NEEDED the crust to have a teensy bit of cornmeal in it the first go-round–delicious!) and made some modifications the second time around: I made 1 1/2 times the recipe for a 12″ tart pan, caramelized 2 1/4 lbs. of onions on the cooktop (time constraints–okay, a gorgeous So. Cal. day–precluded me from blanching/peeling/slaving over cippolini); I used fresh thyme–and lots of it–and just a bit of dried rosemary and sage; I substituted 1/2 cup whole wheat flour in the crust for some extra chew; I used Gorgonzola (and went a bit light on it), and finally, I used heavy cream with a splash of 2% milk. Substitutions and subsequent reviews make me grumpy, but I’ve made it two times and can honestly say that either way (the labor/cost-intensive way OR the fast & cheap(er) way) this is one of the best foods that’s ever come out of my kitchen. It’s beautiful to look at and fabulous to serve to guests.
Carissa, my head is spinning a bit from all the substituions and changes you made, but the bottom line is you loved the tart–and that’s all that matters to me! I’ve rediscovered this after a few years of not making it, and it’s in serious rotation at the moment.
I popped over here from Claire´s post at Promenade Plantings. Oh my, so glad I did! What an amazing looking and sounding tart. Can’t get that cheese here in Andalucia, but I am sure I can improvise…and I most definitely will be making this one very soon :)
Chica, I do hope you improvise and make this. It’s one of the best tarts I’ve ever, ever made. And it never fails to bring guests to their knees in praise. (Well, not literally, but you get my drift.)