Onion Tarts (Foreground)
Over the years I have made this onion tart for passed canapes. It is always a hit with nibblers and imbibers at cocktail receptions. The tart is a take on the French Pissaladiere, an onion and anchovy pizza from Provençe.
My version is built on puff pastry that is topped with caramelized onion and gruyere cheese. Some of the variants add olives, sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, duck sausage and the like. The beauty of this recipe is that it can be made in advance and kept frozen until needed. From the freezer to the passing tray take 30 minutes.
Chef Michael Hutchings
Here are a few production photos from a recent catering event. We prepared 1000 portions for a charitable event. It started with 40 pounds of onions, 1 case of puff pastry, 15 pounds of gruyere cheese, 10 bunch fresh thyme and 1 quart of olive oil.