Caramelized Shallot, Cabbage and Tasso Tart
/Summary: This is just so, so good. It's rustic, full of flavor, easy to pull together and even better the next day. Great for brunch, lunch or dinner! You'll need a tart pan with removable bottom and some pie weights or dried beans/foil. The crust is Molly Wizenberg's recipe, and the caramelized shallots are Nancy Silverton's.
Yield: one 9" round tart
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons ice water (you might need up to 2 additional teaspoons)
- ¾ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoons sea salt
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled but not frozen, cut into chunks
- 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1⅓ cups thinly sliced (lengthwise) shallots
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup shredded Savoy cabbage
- ½ cup cubed tasso (a cured pork, traditionally from Louisiana); you can also use top-quality smoked turkey
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
- ½ cup whipping cream
- ½ cup 2% milk
- 2 whole large eggs
- 1 large egg white
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
Make the crust: In a small bowl, stir together the 4 tablespoons ice water and the vinegar, and set aside. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour and ¾ teaspoons of sea salt. Add the butter and pulse until well-incorporated. With the motor running, pour in the water-vinegar mixture and let the dough come together. If it seems dry, add a teaspoon of additional ice water at a time (I usually add 1-2 teaspoons). Turn the dough into a bowl and shape into a ball. Place the ball on a sheet of plastic wrap, press gently into a disk, cover tightly with the wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours. (You can prepare to this point up to three days ahead).
Make the caramelized shallots: In a large sauté pan (I prefer not to use nonstick), heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the shallots and cook, stirring only as necessary, until brown around the edges and soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the vinegar and stir until the bottom of the pan is dry, about 6 minutes. Remove them from the skillet (don't wipe out the skillet). You'll have more than the cup you need. Save these and serve on warm toast with cheese. Aah!
For the rest of the veggie filling: In the skillet, place the remaining teaspoon of oil. Set pan over medium-high heat and when the oil is warm, add the shredded cabbage. When it's nice and melty, reduce the heat to medium-low and add back one cup of caramelized shallots and the cubed tasso. Stir gently to combine everything well and remove the skillet from heat.
Preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Using a lightly floured Silpat or waxed paper or the like, roll out the crust using the plastic wrap or more waxed paper as the top sheet on which you roll. Invert the crust over your tart pan, carefully pressing it to the bottom and up the sides. Fold all overhang back in, leaving at least a 1/3" rim above the top of the tart pan. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork, and then place a sheet of foil or parchment on it. Place pie weights or dried beans on top. Blind bake for twenty minutes. Remove foil/parchment and weights/beans and bake five minutes more.
Remove from oven and let cool slightly while you ready your goat cheese and remaining ingredients. In a 2 cup measuring cup (or the like), whisk together your cream, milk, eggs, egg white, salt and pepper. Set aside.
When your crust has cooled a bit, place it on a rimmed baking sheet. Then, evenly pour the crumbled goat cheese over the crust. Top that with the shallot-cabbage-tasso mixture. Over that pour the egg-milk mixture.
Carefully slide the pan into the oven and bake 25 minutes or until top is golden and set.
