Best 3 Delia Goats Cheese Tart Recipes

RED ONION AND GOATS' CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Just unroll the pastry on to a flat surface and then trim it to make a 9-in (23-cm) square and place the pastry square on a lightly greased baking sheet. Now what you need to do is take a sharp knife and score the pastry without cutting right through, so you have a cut 1 in (2.5 cm) from the edge all the way round. Next, take a large fork, prick the pastry all over inside the scored square and brush the whole lot with the beaten egg. Then pop it into the oven on a high shelf for 20 minutes until it has risen and become golden. Meanwhile, drain the onions and reserve the juice. Mix the chopped thyme and red wine vinegar into the onions and season them with salt and freshly milled black pepper. After that, take the sharp knife again and dip it into boiling hot water before slicing the cheese into 12 rounds - cut it in half first, then cut 6 rounds from each half. When the pastry is ready, remove it from the oven and use the back of a fork to press the inner pastry base back down. Now spread the onions all over, followed by the slices of cheese and place a small sprig of fresh thyme on each slice. Finally, mix 1 tablespoon of the reserved onion juice with the tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle this all over everything before placing the tart back in the oven for a further 15-20 minutes. Note: This is great for vegetarians.

CARAMELISED BALSAMIC AND RED ONION TARTS WITH GOATS' CHEESE

Steps:

• First make up the pastry by rubbing the butter lightly on to the flour, then adding the cheese, mustard and cayenne plus just enough cold water to make a smooth dough. Then place the dough in a polythene bag to rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. After that, roll it out as thinly as possible and use a 5 inch (13 cm) cutter, or a saucer or something similar, to stamp out 8 rounds. Line the greased tins with them, then bake in the oven, centre shelf, for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through but not coloured. Then cool the pastry cases on a wire rack and store them in an airtight tin until they are needed. To make the filling, melt the butter in a heavy-based, medium-sized saucepan, stir in the onions, balsamic vinegar and chopped sage, season and let everything cook very gently without a lid, stirring often, for about 30 minutes until they have reduced down and taken on a lovely glazed appearance and all the excess liquid has evaporated away. You can also watch how to chop onions in our Cookery School Video on this page. Then let the mixture cool until you are ready to make the tarts. To bake them, brush a little beaten egg on to each pastry case, pop them back into the oven, same temperature as above, for 5 minutes - this helps to provide a seal for the pastry and helps it from becoming soggy. Now spoon the onion mixture into the cases. Top each one with a slice of goats' cheese and a sage leaf that has first been dipped into olive oil. Finally sprinkle with a little cayenne and bake for 20 minutes.

CARAMELISED BALSAMIC AND RED ONION TARTS WITH GOATS' CHEESE

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C).
• You will also need eight 3½ inch (9 cm) diameter x 1 inch (2.5 cm) high mini flan tins, greased, and a 5 inch (13 cm) pastry cutter or plate to cut around.
• First make up the pastry by rubbing the butter lightly on to the flour, then adding the cheese, mustard and cayenne plus just enough cold water to make a smooth dough. Then place the dough in a polythene bag to rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. After that, roll it out as thinly as possible and use a 5 inch (13 cm) cutter, or a saucer or something similar, to stamp out 8 rounds. Line the greased tins with them, then bake in the oven, centre shelf, for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is cooked through but not coloured. Then cool the pastry cases on a wire rack and store them in an airtight tin until they are needed.
• To make the filling, melt the butter in a heavy-based, medium-sized saucepan, stir in the onions, balsamic vinegar and chopped sage, season and let everything cook very gently without a lid, stirring often, for about 30 minutes until they have reduced down and taken on a lovely glazed appearance and all the excess liquid has evaporated away. Then let the mixture cool until you are ready to make the tarts.
• To bake them, brush a little beaten egg on to each pastry case, pop them back into the oven, same temperature as above, for 5 minutes - this helps to provide a seal for the pastry and helps it from becoming soggy. Now spoon the onion mixture into the cases. Top each one with a slice of goats' cheese and a sage leaf that has first been dipped into olive oil. Finally sprinkle with a little cayenne and bake for 20 minutes.