Comte, Caramelised Red Onion and Tomato Tart

Comte cheese is made from unpasteurised cows milk and if you can get some quality cheese it has a firm but fairly soft texture with a nutty taste. One of the best qualities apart from the taste is the way it melts , delicious

The only comte cheese I’d had before was from the supermarket, it was at best ok and I couldn’t really see what all the fuss was about.

A couple of weeks ago I bought some more from Borough Market, this stuff was amazing and full of delicate flavours, it was a little expensive though

I’ve taken this recipe directly from the official UK comte cheese site and made a couple of minor adjustments

Serves 8 – 10

•    1 ½ tablespoons butter

•    2 medium red onions, thinly sliced

•    Pinch sugar

•    Salt and pepper

•    1 tablespoon water, plus additional for brushing pastry

•    1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus additional for serving

•    1 sheet frozen all-butter puff pastry, thawed

•    2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

•    4-6 ounces of grated Comte

•    2 tomatoes, very thinly sliced

1.    Preheat the oven to 200 degrees with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.    Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the onions with a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until caramelised and golden, about 15 minutes. Add water and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan; cook until water is absorbed. Add thyme and transfer to a bowl.

3.    On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry into a large rectangle, roughly 16 by 13 inches. Cut in half lengthwise. Transfer both pieces to the prepared baking sheet. Brush edges with water and fold over to form a ½ inch border. Using the back of a fork, press edges to seal. Prick holes in the bottom of the tart (not on edges) with the fork.

4.    Brush the bottom of each tart with 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Divide the caramelised onions among each tart, followed by the shredded Comté. Arrange slices of tomato in an overlapping line down the centre of each. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

5.    Bake in the upper third of the oven for 22-25 minutes, or until golden. Cool slightly and sprinkle thyme leaves over the top to garnish. Serve warm or at room temperature.