Biltong, Caramelised Onion & Blue Cheese Tartlets
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 10
- Category: Savoury Tarts
- Cuisine: South African
Description
Inspired by the quintessential South African snack, biltong, these tartlets feature all your charcuterie and cheeseboard faves.
Ingredients
Tartlets
1¾ C (430 ml) flour
125 g frozen butter
1 egg yolk
2 Tbsp (30 ml) ice-cold water
3 onions, sliced
3 Tbsp (45 ml) butter
1 Tbsp (15 ml) sugar
2 eggs
½ C (125 ml) cream
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
½ tsp (2.5 ml) pepper
150 g good quality biltong, sliced
100 g blue cheese, crumbled
To Serve
handful wild rocket, washed
You’ll Need
10 x 8 cm loose-bottomed fluted tartlet tins
Instructions
Tartlets
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Using the fine side of a grater, grate the butter into the flour and then rub it in using your hands or a stand mixer, it should resemble breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and water and mix it until the dough starts to come together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until just smooth. Cover the dough with cling wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Dust a surface lightly with flour and then roll out the pastry to about 3mm thick. Line the tartlet tins with pastry, then use a paring knife or run a rolling pin over the edges of the tins to trim excess pastry. Lightly press the pastry into place, prick a few times with a fork and then refrigerate for 15 minutes to rest.
Preheat the oven to 200 ºC.
To blind bake, cover the pastry bases with baking paper and fill with pastry weights such as ceramic baking beans, uncooked rice or dried beans. Place onto a baking tray and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
Remove the paper and pastry weights and bake for a further 10 minutes or until very lightly golden brown.
While the tartlet bases are cooking, make the caramelised onions. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter has melted add the sliced onions. Add the sugar and turn down the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes or until the onions are golden brown, translucent and caramelised.
Beat the cream, eggs, salt and pepper together.
Divide the biltong, blue cheese and caramelised onions among the tart cases. Pour egg mixture into each tart shell; you should still be able to see some filling. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the top of the tartlets start turning golden brown.
To Serve
Remove from the oven, allow to cool just slightly and then garnish with rocket and serve.
