On neighbourly relations, and a feta and red onion tart

I've never met Rosmariini (= Rosemary = she) & Pippurimylly (= Pepper Mill = he), the couple behind the Finnish-language Pastanjauhantaa blog, but I think we'd like each other, if we did. We've got a pretty similar taste in food, you see, and keep recreating recipes from one another's blogs. Pippurimylly was inspired by my posts for the slowly braised Dutch beef dish, draadjesvlees (see here) ; the small feta and spinach omelettes (see here); and most recently my savoury blue cheese and beetroot muffins (see here). And vice versa - it works the other way around, too. I've knicked many recipe ideas from the neighbouring Finns (for example, roasted asparagus with Parmesan and numerous other weekday dinners that I haven't blogged about) . But that's what good neighbours are for, isn't it??

In late February Rosmariini wrote about a feta and red onion quiche that I simply had to make, and last night I did, with some small adaptations. I now have two favourite red onion pies - the feta and red onion tart here, and the Upside-down Red Onion Pie by Nigella. The original recipe uses a simple shortcrust pastry. I've recently found a pretty decent local puff pastry that I've been using (f. ex. for my salmon kulebyaka), so I opted for that, but feel free to use your favourite pâte brisée recipe (or use Pierre Hermé’s Perfect Tart Dough that Chubby Hubby praises).

Peeling onions for this tart is the most difficult task, which is to say that it's supereasy and very flavoursome - the salty feta cheese and sweet honey and earthy oregano melding wonderfully together. Feta cheese and the abundant use of dried oregano gives this tart a very Greek feel, which suits me just well, as I love Hellenic food.

Thanks again, Rosmariini, for the inspiration!!

Feta and red onion tart
Serves 6



500 grams puff pastry

500 grams smaller red onions (peeled weight, that's about 650 grams unpeeled)
2 Tbsp olive oil (from the canned feta)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp honey
salt and freshly ground black pepper
300 grams feta cubes in olive oil
2 eggs
200 ml single cream

fresh parsley to garnish

Peel the onions, cut into half and then into thin slices.
Drain some of the oil from feta cheese onto the heavy-bottomed frying pan. Heat up and add the onions. Fry gently on a moderate heat for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onion has softened. Add oregano and honey, stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Roll the puff pastry into a square (approx. 23 x 30 cm). Place in a tart tin, so the pastry goes slightly up the edges (you need raised edges to keep the filling inside).
Spread the fried and honeyed onions over the puff pastry, scatter feta cubes on top.
Whisk the eggs with the cream, pour over the filling.
Bake at 200C for about 25 minutes, until the eggy filling has set and the pastry is golden brown.

Transfer to a serving dish, scatter with lots of fresh parsley and serve.