Savory Fig Tart with Rosemary and Stilton

04. August 2010 Baked Goods + Desserts + Drinks 0

This recipe was republished by The New York Times from A Good Appetite: Ripe for Autumnâ€™s Hearth and it was one of those recipes I saved because it just sounded so deliciously savory. While I was in Raleigh, North Carolina for the weekend, I picked up a pint of figs from the farmers’ market and I immediately thought of making this even though August just began.

The weather the last two days has been bearable and I can’t stop thinking about how it’s almost autumn. I just started seeing tomatoes in the market and the peaches and nectarines are aplenty–how could there be figs already? I’m not ready for summer to be over yet!

I picked up a box of frozen puff pastry from Whole Foods and let it thaw on my way back to my apartment and while I was prepping the rest of the ingredients. I had Roquefort in the fridge, but I didn’t want to stray too much from the original recipe, so I bought a wedge of Stilton to make sure I get it right. I eliminated a pinch of sugar and forgot a splash of sherry vinegar–the former to add sweetness and the latter to caramelize the onions properly–but I think I didn’t screw it up too much because everything came together perfectly.

Ingredients:
2 tbsps unsalted butter
oil
1 large white onion, sliced thinly
2 sprigs rosemary, removed from stem
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
flour for dusting
1 box frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 pint fresh figs, cut in half
a small wedge Stilton cheese, crumbled
a handful of pine nuts

1. In a large skillet over low heat, melt butter with oil. Add onions and rosemary. Cook, tossing occasionally, until onions are limp and golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. (Add a splash of sherry vinegar here and scrape off the brown bits from the bottom of the pan when caramelizing.)
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg until smooth. Stir in the onions.
3. Preheat oven to 400º. Line an 11 by 17-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to a 9 by 12-inch rectangle. Transfer to baking sheet.
4. Use a fork to spread onion mixture evenly over pastry while letting excess egg mixture drip back into bowl and leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange figs, cut-side up, in even rows on onion mixture. Scatter cheese and pine nuts over figs. Use a pastry brush to dab edges of tart with egg mixture. Gently fold over edges of tart to form a lip and brush with more egg mixture.
5. Bake until pastry is puffed and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove to rest at room temperature before serving.