Recipe Time: Alsatian Onion Tart

This is a recipe that I made up. I was inspired by this recipe on Annies Eats (http://www.annies-eats.com/2010/06/01/caramelized-onion-tart/), only I didn't have puff pastry or ricotta cheese and felt too lazy to go to the store. So I improvised, and the results were yummy. Here's how how to make it:

Ingredients:

• 3 yellow onions, peeled and sliced thinly

  

  I didn't take a picture of my tart, but it looked pretty close to this!

• 2 T. butter
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 t. minced rosemary
• 1/4 c. cream
• 3 T. grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 pie crust
• 1 egg yolk, beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Heat olive oil and butter in saute pan
3. Add onions and rosemary to saute pan and saute over low heat until reduced and caramelized (this takes awhile...plan on about 15 minutes)
4. Add cream, stir to incorporate, and turn off heat
5. Roll out pie dough into roughly a 12 inch circle - it doesn't have to be perfect. "Rustic" is a good thing here. Transfer circle to baking sheet or pizza stone.
6. Pour the onion mixture into the middle of the pie dough and spread out evenly, leaving about a 1 inch rim of dough. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese.
7. Fold the plain rim of dough over the filling to form a crust
8. Brush the crust with egg yolk
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown
10. Cool, slice into wedges, and serve

Notes:

• I don't know why I'm calling this Alsatian - for some reason I just like the way it sounds, and I'm sure they have onion tarts in the Alsace, so it's probably OK. 
• I made this as a little appetizer to take to my sister's Downton Abbey finale party, but I think it could also be good as a dinner, served with a hearty salad.
• I made my own crust (1/4 butter, 1 c. flour, 1/4 water, 1 t. salt), but you could probably just use the pre-rolled Pillsbury kind too. 
• I used fresh rosemary for my spice, because I have a big plant of it on my kitchen window. I think you could use whatever spices though, or none at all. The caramelized onions are delicious in and of themselves.