Caramelized Onion Galette
I taught the classic version of this dish, tarte à l’oignon, in my first cooking class in Santa Barbara. It was in many ways a conscious acknowledgment of my connection to Provence and to my new home on the American Riviera. This version, a free-form galette, is less structured than a tart but just as satisfying. It makes a wonderful first course or appetizer, and if the holidays find you with a beautiful day and good company, take it outside with a glass of something festive.
Caramelized Onion Galette
Ingredients
FOR THE ONIONS
- Olive oil
- 4 large yellow onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
- Coarse sea salt
- Black pepper
FOR THE PASTRY
- 9 ounces (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 5 ounces butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Pour a little olive oil into a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, a large pinch of salt and 5–6 grinds of black pepper. Stir frequently and cook until the onions are completely soft and slightly golden. This will take at least 20–25 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place all the dough ingredients into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, then use longer pulses until the dough forms a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Place the unwrapped dough on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough to a 14-inch round, ¼-inch thick. The edge of the dough will be ragged, but that’s OK. Place the dough onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Spread the mustard all over the dough.
- Spoon the cooked onions onto the rolled-out dough, leaving a 1- to 2-inch border. Carefully fold the pastry edge over the onions.
- Bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes, or until the pastry is deep golden brown. This is excellent with a simple green salad or some arugula.
Pascale Beale
Chef, teacher and food writer, Pascale Beale, owner of Pascale’s Kitchen, grew up in an eccentric European family who cherish food, wine and the arts. She is the author of 10 Mediterranean-style cookbooks, including the best sellers Salade and Salade II. Her food memoir, 9’ x 12’: Adventures in a Small Kitchen, a multi-media book, is hosted on Substack. Her latest cookbook is Flavour: Savouring the Seasons.
