Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese and Herb Pie

In the days between Christmas and the new year I'll try to keep the food flowing with as little effort as possible.  This herbed pie can serve as breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  It can also sit out on a counter for grazing throughout the day.  We chose the grazing method.

This kind of French inspired tart filled with veggies and a light custard of egg, milk and cream has become a new favorite of mine.  I chopped up a big heap of mixed herbs from the random packages that piled up around the kitchen during Christmas week.  I could have added some of the leftover ham that's sitting in the fridge, but I decided to keep the focus on the tangy cheese and fresh herbs.

The tart format allows the individual flavors to shine, rather than be smothered in too much crust and custard like the kind of quiche I used to make in a pie plate.

I used Martha Stewart's No Fail Crust. I'm happy to say this recipe has completely cured me of my crust-making phobia. It's easy to roll out and it always turns out flaky and perfect whether I'm using it baked or unbaked.  Isn't that just like Martha.

Crust:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut in pieces
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup ice water, more if necessary

• Put the flour salt and sugar in a processor and pulse to combine. 
• Add the pieces of butter and process until grainy.  
• While pulsing, add in the ice water, starting with 1/4 cup, just until the dough holds together when pressed between your fingers. 
• Empty the bowl of the processor onto a sheet of plastic wrap and bring it together into a dough.  
• Cut the amount in half, shape into disks, and wrap each disk in plastic.  
• Refrigerate for 2 hours before rolling out one of the disks for this tart.    

Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese and Herb Pie
oven to 350

1 unbaked crust in a 10 inch tart pan
olive oil
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
heaping 1/2 cup mixed freshly chopped herbs (I used parsley, rosemary, thyme and sage)
6 to 7 oz goat cheese
salt and fresh cracked pepper

• Coat the bottom of a large saute pan with olive oil and cook the onions on medium low until they are soft and caramelized.  Rearrange them in the pan occasionally so they cook evenly and try not to let them brown. This can take 1/2 hour or more.  Set aside to cool. 
• Mix the beaten eggs, milk and cream in a bowl.  Add in the herbs, and season with salt and pepper.
• Crumble the goat cheese and spread out evenly on the unbaked crust.
• Top the cheese with the onions and season with a little more salt and pepper.
• Pour the milk mixture into the crust and even out the herbs across the top.
• Bake for about 45 minutes until browned and set.  
• Serve warm, or at room temperature.