Individual tarte Tatin-style bakes with puff pastry, caramelised onions, thyme and ash goat’s cheese make a sumptuous vegetarian lunch or dinner party starter
Prep:25 mins
Serves 6
100g golden caster sugar50ml cider vinegarvegetable oil, for frying3 large white onions, halved6 thyme sprigs, plus extra picked thyme leaves to serve320g sheet all-butter ready-rolled puff pastry150g ash goat’s cheese log, sliced into six discs
STEP 1Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Put the sugar in a heavy-based saucepan and melt over a medium heat. Cook to a dark caramel, occasionally swirling the pan gently to help melt any remaining sugar and get an even colour. Add the vinegar, stir to combine, and pour into the tray, spreading it out. Leave to cool.STEP 2Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Add a splash of oil to an ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat. Lay the onions cut-side down and fry until blackened and just starting to burn, about 5 mins. Add the thyme sprigs, then transfer to the oven and bake for 25 mins. Once the onions are tender, remove from the pan. Space them out evenly, cut-side down, on the caramel and leave to cool.STEP 3Once the onions are cool, cut the pastry into six equal discs, each large enough to cover an onion half. Cover the onions with the pastry, tucking it under slightly. Put the tray in the fridge for 1 hr so that the pastry firms up a bit.STEP 4Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake the onion tarts for 20 mins, then reduce heat to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and bake for 10 mins more.STEP 5Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Once cool enough to handle, turn the tarts so the onions are now facing up. Lay a slice of goat’s cheese on top of each and bake for a further 10 mins. Remove from the oven and sprinkle over a few thyme leaves to serve.
