The atypical traditional German Zwiebelkuchen (Onion Tart). OK, that sounds rather contradictory, eh? Here is the thing: the recipe is traditional. Onions, Speck, Paprika and Nutmeg. And yes, while it looks a little like a quiche, it only has one egg in it. In Swabia (the Southwestern part of Germany nearest to the French and Swiss borders), this Zwiebelkuchen is often eaten in the fall and is a great accompaniment to new wines.
But why atypical? Well, my presentation, actually. While it certainly is possible that a cast iron pan was used at some point in the history of Zwiebelkuchen-making, it is more often made in a tart pan with a removable bottom or even as a square on a regular Backblech. Also, I am quite sure that no one bothers to cut out many little leaves, cut patterns in them and then glue them to the edge. So there. Typical German recipe. Typical me presentation. All good. Well, would have been better if that one side of the crust didn’t decide to take a nose dive into the filling, but imperfection is perfection.
Ingredients
for the pastry
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold
6-8 tablespoons ice cold water
for the filling
4 large onions, sliced thin
1/4 cup German “speck” or smoky bacon cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 egg
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
pinch paprika
sprinkle of caraway seeds (optional)
Directions
Prepare your crust: In a bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Cut in the butter, blending until the mixture resembles coarse sand (with some larger pieces of butter). Add in four or five tablespoons of the ice water, using a fork to mix the dough together. Add more water, one tablespoon at a time, just until the dough comes together in a slightly crumbly ball. Turn the dough out to a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to shape the dough into a flattened disc. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours (up to 24 hours).
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9 or 10 inch tart pan (preferably with a removable bottom) with baking spray. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough disks to a 12 inch circle. Place in tart pan and crimp edges. Dock the pastry with a fork a few times, all the way to the edges. Set aside.
Cut onions in half and then in 1/8 inch slices (so, thin!). Fry the bacon in a non-stick pan over medium heat until lightly browned. Pour off some of the rendered fat, otherwise your tart will be greasy. Add onions, reduce heat to low and fry until softened and fragrant, about 10 minutes. The onions should be golden brown, but not falling apart or mushy. Remove onion and bacon mixture from the pan and set aside to cool. Once slightly cooled, place the onion and bacon mixture onto the pastry.
Combine milk, sour cream, eggs and flour in a bowl. Stir with a whisk to combine, then add salt, white pepper, and paprika. Pour milk mixture over the onions and speck. Sprinkle with a few caraway seeds, if using. Bake for 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve warm or at room temperature.
* If you can’t find German speck, you can use American bacon, but pour of some of the rendered fat otherwise it will be too greasy. Alternatively, you can leave the pork product out altogether and have the dish be vegetarian. If you skip the speck, increase the vegetable oil by 1 tablespoon.
