Boiled Onion with Lancashire Cheese

As the weather starts to cool and winter dawn upon us our desire for comfort food grows. Here's a tasty  simple little number to satisfy growing bellies and hunger pains. Just make sure you have a stick of gum handy for afterwards.

1kg white onions
200g lancashire cheese grated
2 tablespoons sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 bay leaves
Small handful curly parsley

PASTRY:
300g plain flour
150g butter
50g grated cheddar
1 egg
3 tablespoons water
Pinch of sea salt


METHOD:
Start with making the pastry, place flour, cheddar and salt in large mixing bowl. Cube the butter and add to dry mixture, rub butter into flour till well blended together then add egg and cold water, lightly knead together till only just combined. Wrap pastry in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

Grease a fluted flan tin with removable base 30cm in diameter and 3cm deep. Once the pastry has rested roll out on a floured surface till about 4-5mm thick and line the tin with pastry pinch and press down around the edges and refrigerate for a further 30 minutes.

Peel all the onions and slice in half, cut off the top and bottom and slice thinly. Place onions in a pot and cover with water, add bay leaves and half the salt. Put pot over a high heat and bring to the boil then cook for 15 minutes till onions are tender. Drain the onions and stir in the remaining salt, pepper and half the lancashire cheese, leave to rest.

Once pastry has rested using a folk prick the base of pastry 10 times and line with grease proof paper and fill with rice or dried legumes, bake in oven set at 200oC for 12 minutes. When the pastry is baked remove parchment paper and legumes and bake the pastry for another 6 minutes till golden brown.

Place boiled onion mixture in pastry case and top with remaining lancashire cheese, bake in oven set at 180oC for 20 minutes till golden brown. Leave tart to cool for 10 minutes then garnish with finely chopped parsley and slice into 8 piece's.