Onion tart with fresh figs, walnuts and cheese

A, somewhat, unusual combination of ingredients which, though, turn out very nicely giving a rich but not heavy flavour to this tart! Onions, figs, walnuts and cheese they manage to find their way and create a special recipe which can be served as a first dish or a light main meal along with a crispy green salad. The figs will not be here for too long so if you have any left in your fridge this is a good chance to use them up. The original recipe asks for a very tasty Greek yellow hard cheese called "Ladotyri" coming from Mytilene. I don't expect you to find it abroad (I can't either, unless if I bring it from Greece) so you can substitute with Greek Graviera which is not too salty. If the procedure of the homemade pastry sounds too much for you the best alternative is to use a shortcrust pastry instead

Recipe of Elias Demirtzoglou

from "Cook Book" magazine of "ETHNOS" newspaper

Ingredients (for 8 people)

For the pastry:

200 gr. of all-purpose flour

100 gr. of wholemeal flour

150 gr. of cold butter, cut into small cubes

1/2 tsp of salt

2 egg yolks + 2 tbsp of cold water

For the filling:

100 gr. of finely chopped walnuts

3 eggs

400 gr. of red (or white) ​​onions, peeled and cut in thin slices

25 gr. of butter

1 tbsp of dried thyme

300 ml of single cream

140 gr. of  Greek Graviera cheese, grated (or the special Mytilene "Ladotyri")

60 gr. of Roquefort cheese, crumbled

4 large ripe but firm figs, cut horizontally in half or into quarters

salt

pepper

Method:

Start with the dough putting both flours, the butter and the salt in the bowl of a standing mixer. When the mixture turns out like fine crumbs, and while the mixer is still working, add the egg yolks and the cold water and work until a ball of dough is formed.

Wrap the dough with cling film and leave in the fridge to rest for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush with some butter a round tart dish of 24cm (or the equivalent in square or rectangular) and lightly dust with flour.

Take the dough out of the fridge, place between two pieces of lightly floured wax paper and roll out into a thick sheet.

For the filling, melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan on medium heat and sauté the onions for about 20 minutes or until they are softened. Add the walnuts, the thyme, the grated cheese, the eggs and the cream. Check the seasoning and accordingly add salt and pepper. Give the filling a few stirs and take off the heat leaving aside to cool down.

Carefully transfer the dough and place it into the dish making sure that it is stretched up to the corners. Cover the pastry with wax paper and fill with some baking beans. Put in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Take out of the oven and allow the pastry to cool down a bit. Pour over with the cooled filling, garnish on top with the figs and put back in the oven. Bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour or until the creamy filling is well set and nicely coloured on the top.

Allow the tart to cool down for 10 minutes before you cut into pieces and serve.