Bacon, Onion and Parmesan Cheese Tart

Happy Valentine's Day! I made this delicious bacon, onion and parmesan cheese tart for a dinner party at my sister's house last weekend. I harvested a few bunches of my organically homegrown grape cherry tomatoes and used them to decorate this tart. 

Recipe for a 10 -11 " in diameter tart

To make the Shortcrust Pastry:

280g plain flour
150g butter
1/4 tsp salt
80g water

- Mix the butter, flour and salt until they combine and become sandy. Use a food processor, mixer or by hand. Add the water bit by bit and knead well to form a pastry dough.

- Roll out on a floured surface the size of at least 2 inches larger than your tart pan. This allowance is needed to cover the side of the pan. Lift the rolled dough and place it on the base of the pan. Adjust with fingers by pulling the dough to cover exposed side/top rim of the pan.

- Next, use a kitchen scissors and trim off access dough all along the rim of the pan.

- Got extra dough and don't want to waste it? No sweat. Roll the dough out to fit tiny tart molds.

- Use the back of a fork and make imprints all around the top rim dough. Also, use the fork and randomly poke the base and its side to allow better baking.

- Pre-bake the pastry at 145 C for about 15 minutes.

To make the Tart Filling:

2 large onions, diced/chopped
90 g grated Parmesan cheese
450 g Nestle all-purpose cream
3 eggs, beaten
4-5 slices of bacon, baked or pan-fried, cut into small pieces
Extra 5-6 slices of uncooked bacon (for decoration on top)

- Break and beat the eggs in a baking bowl. Add in the cream, mix well.

- Mix in the rest of the ingredients, beat well. Pour into the pre-baked pastry in pan.

- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 145 C or until the top has somewhat set but not yet browned. Take the pastry out from the oven, arrange the extra slices of bacon and bake at the same temperature for 15 minutes. Take the pan out again and this time, arrange the cherry tomatoes wherever you like by pushing each halfway into the filling. Sprinkle some crushed black peppercorns and dried oregano (or your other favorite herb). Place it back into the oven for further browning the way you like it.