Mini tarts with havarti, whipped ricotta and caramelised onions

Små tærter med havarti, pisket ricotta og karamelliserede løg

Mini tarts with havarti, whipped ricotta and caramelised onions

Recipe for the most delicious mini tarts with cubes of potato and havarti, topped with whipped ricotta and caramelised onions.

The tins measure 10 cm at their widest point.

Course Appetizer, Starter

Cuisine Danish

Nøgleord Mini tart, New Year's Eve menu, Tart

Total Time 1 30

Servings people

Calories 400kcal

Ingredients

Caramelised onions

1/2 kg onions
25 g butter
3 sprigs thyme (optional)
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
Salt

The tarts

1 shortcrust pastry
Or use this recipe – click here
100 g potatoes, raw or cooked – cut into small cubes
100 g mature havarti, cut into small cubes
6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
3 eggs
75 ml milk or cream
250 g ricotta
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Oil

Instructions

Caramelised onions

Peel and halve the onions, then slice them into thin strips.
Melt the butter in a deep frying pan over a medium heat, let it foam up, then add the onions. Cook the onions for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften, then season with a little salt and tuck in the bunch of thyme.
Cook the onions over a low-medium heat for about 30-40 minutes, or until they start to turn lightly golden – stir regularly.
Remove the thyme once the onions are lightly golden. Sprinkle over the sugar and continue cooking until they begin to brown.
Now you need to keep a close eye on them. Stir regularly, scraping the base of the pan with a spatula so the browned bits are folded back into the onions. Let the onions cook until they brown, then stir – avoid stirring constantly. The onions release their natural sugars, along with the sugar you have added – and that is what browns on the base of the pan and should be stirred back into the onions. Just make sure it does not burn.
If they seem dry, you can add a couple of tablespoons of water.
Add the vinegar and stir it well into the onions, then leave them over a very low heat until the tarts are ready to assemble. They should not be too hot.

The tarts

Divide the pastry into 6 equal pieces. Grease the tins with a little oil and press the pastry into them. Trim away any excess pastry from the edges.
If you are using ready-made pastry and it is round, divide it into 4 pieces, then gather the trimmings you cut away as you line the tins, re-roll them and use them for the last 2 tins.
If you are using a ready-made pastry that is square, it will stretch comfortably to 6 tins.
Prick the bases with a fork and blind bake them in a preheated conventional oven (top and bottom heat) at 180°C for about 8-10 minutes.
If you like, lay a small piece of baking parchment over each pastry case and fill with dried beans or similar before blind baking – it helps the pastry hold its shape.
Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and milk and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Divide the havarti and potato cubes between the part-baked cases. Sprinkle with thyme and pour over the egg mixture – it should come right up to the edge of the pastry.
Return the tarts to the oven and bake for a further 30-35 minutes, until golden and set all the way through.
Let the tarts cool slightly before topping.
Meanwhile, put the ricotta in a mini chopper or similar, season with a pinch of salt and whip the ricotta until soft and creamy.
This takes 3-4 minutes, and I recommend scraping down the sides a couple of times along the way.
Chill until the tarts are ready to serve.
Spread a generous spoonful of whipped ricotta over the top of each tart and spoon the caramelised onions on top.
Sprinkle with fresh thyme and season with freshly ground pepper before serving.

Nutrition