Zwiebelkuchen Savory Bacon And Onion Tart Food

ZWIEBELKUCHEN (SAVORY BACON-AND-ONION TART)

Steps:

• Place milk and 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan, and heat until butter has melted. Remove pan from heat, and let mixture cool until tepid.
• Place milk mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. On low speed, add the sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, lemon zest, egg yolks, and yeast. Gradually add 3 cups flour, creating a dough that is soft but not sticky.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until it is smooth and elastic and springs back when you poke it with your finger, about 5 minutes. Place in a large buttered bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place until dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet with parchment. Punch dough down, and roll out to a 1/4-inch thickness. Place on prepared baking sheet, and cover with buttered plastic wrap; let rise until dough doesn't spring back when you poke it with your finger, about 20 minutes.
• Melt remaining tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon, and cook until golden and crisp and most of fat has been rendered, about 6 minutes. Add onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons flour over onions, and stir in. In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream and the egg, and stir into the onion mixture. Cook, stirring, until mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat, and season with salt.
• Spread mixture on top of dough, and let rise 15 minutes more. Sprinkle top with caraway seeds. Bake until edges are crisp and brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, and serve. Bread will keep, wrapped and unrefrigerated, up to 4 days.

ZWIEBELKUCHEN (GERMAN HAM AND ONION TART)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add ham and onions; cook on medium-low heat 12 to 14 min. or until onions are tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove skillet from heat.
• Unfold pastry sheet; cut into 12 squares. Press 1 square onto bottom and up side of each of 12 muffin pan cups sprayed with cooking spray.
• Whisk eggs, sour cream and nutmeg in medium bowl until blended. Add onion mixture; mix well. Spoon into pastry cups; top with Swiss pieces. Sprinkle with chives.
• Bake 12 to 14 min. or until filling is set in centers, and edges of pastry cups are golden brown. Transfer tarts from muffin pan to wire racks; cool slightly.

FRENCH ONION AND BACON TART(ATK)

Steps:

• Crust: Preheat the oven to 375º. Put the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl and pulse a few times to mix. Dump in all the butter and pulse about 15 times total. You want to cut the butter up smaller than you would for a flaky pie crust. Add in 2 tablespoons of the ice cold water and turn the machine on for 5-6 seconds. You'll know that you have the right amount of moisture in the dough by removing the lid, reaching in and grabbing a handful, squeeze it together and if it clumps...it's perfect. If it is still crumbly and does not stick together, then put the lid back on, add another ½ to 1 teaspoon of ice water and turn on again for another 5-6 seconds.
• Press dough in tart pan. Try and make it an even layer across the bottom of the pan.
• To avoid shrinkage place it on a plate and put it in the freezer to firm up and rest for at least 30 minutes.
• Cook bacon until crispy. Less 2 tablespoons of drippings in pan and cook onions on low/med heat with thyme & salt, covered 20mins. So not brown, sweat the onions. Pull crust out of the freezer, place it on a cookie sheet, add a sheet of foil on top and press it in gently and then fill with your favorite pie weight (dry beans, rice, actual pie weights, marbles, ball bearings). Place in the oven for 30 minutes while the onions are cooking.
• Beat the eggs and add in the half and half, a grind or two of black pepper and a touch of salt, mix well and set aside. The onions, they should be translucent, soft and very fragrant. Remove them from the heat and cool long enough that they won't cook the eggs. When the crust comes out, remove the pie weights and foil. Remove the thyme sprigs from the onions and mix them into the custard. Pour it all into the tart crust, sprinkle with bacon pieces and put it back in the 375º oven for 25-30 minutes on the middle rack.