Vegan French Onion Tart

10 MINS

30 MINS

4

METHOD

1.    In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the cubed vegan butter and shortening. Using a pastry cutter or fork, work the fats into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized clumps of butter and shortening.

2.    Pour the ice water into the flour mixture, stirring with a silicone spatula or large spoon. Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough barely holds together when pressed between your fingers. The dough shouldn't be sticky. Be careful not to add too much water, as this can affect the pastry’s flakiness once baked.

3.     Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gather it together and press it into a rough rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Like folding a letter, fold the dough into thirds, handling it as little as possible to prevent the warmth of your hands from melting the fats. Repeat this folding process several times. With each fold, the dough will become more pliable and show streaks of fat—this is a good sign! Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to 3 days.

4.     About 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven. Remove the dough from the fridge. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out with a floured rolling pin, starting from the center, to form a circle large enough to fit your pie dish. As you roll, check occasionally to make sure the dough isn’t sticking, adding more flour if needed.

5.     To transfer the dough, place the rolling pin in the center of the circle, then fold the dough in half over the pin. Lift the dough and drape it over the pie dish. Unfold the pastry and gently adjust it, being careful not to stretch it.

6.     Trim the excess dough to leave about 3/4 inch of overhang. Fold the overhanging dough under the edge of the pie crust and flute or shape the edges as desired. Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork.

7.     Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill it with dried beans, pie weights, or granulated sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes, or until the bottom of the crust just starts to brown (you can check this if you're using a glass pie plate). Otherwise, follow the timer. Reduce the oven temperature and continue baking.

8.     In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onions.

9.     Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low and stir the onions every 3-5 minutes to prevent sticking. However, don't stir too often, as the onions need time to brown. Scrape the bottom of the skillet to lift any browned bits to prevent burning. If the onions are browning too quickly on the edges or sticking, lower the heat slightly or add a splash of water.

10.     Once the onions are caramelized to a rich, golden brown color, stir in the soup stock, balsamic vinegar, and thyme. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot and lift any stuck bits. Turn up the heat and let it simmer until most of the moisture evaporates. Remove from the heat.

11.     In a blender, combine the silken tofu, soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, mustard powder, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. This may take a few minutes, depending on the strength of your blender.

12.     In a large bowl, combine the caramelized onions and the tofu mixture, stirring well..

13.     Sprinkle the vegan cheese evenly over the parbaked pastry. Pour the onion-tofu filling over the cheese and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Place a baking dish on the bottom rack of your preheated oven and fill it with water. This will create steam to help prevent the quiche from cracking during baking.

14.     Bake the quiche in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, rotating the tart once during baking for even cooking. When done, the tart should be light brown on top and set in the center.

15.     Let the tart rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with a fresh green salad or as desired.