Filling 1/4 c Peanut oil
2 lb Vidalia sweet onions Pie pastry; see below
2 Egg yolks Pie pastry
6 tb Heavy cream 2 c All-purpose flour
1/2 c Water 1/2 c Unsalted butter
1/4 lb Bacon; cut in strips 2 Egg yolks
1 ts Flour 1 ts Salt
1 ts Salt 6 tb Cold water
FILLING: Slice onions thinly and layer in large saucepan. Add 1
teaspoon of salt to them and set aside to draw out the water for at
least 30 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of oil and 1/2 cup of water. Steam
onions until transparent and water is cooked out. Meanwhile, place
sliced bacon in a small amount of water in a shallow pan and blanch
to remove excess fat. Bacon should be limp. Pour off liquid and
coarsely chop. When water is cooked out of onions, add 1 teaspoon of
flour and stir to dissolve.
Remove from heat and add 2 egg yolks and cream with the onions. Stir
constantly.
PIE PASTRY: Sift flour onto a pastry board, cloth or dough bowl and
make a large well in the center. Pound butter to soften slightly or
have at room temperature. Place butter, egg yolks, salt and smaller
amount of water in the well and work together with the fingertips of
one hand until partly mixed. Gradually work in flour, pulling dough
into large crumbs using the fingertips of both hands. If the crumbs
are dry, sprinkle over a tablespoon of more water. Press dough
firmly together – it should be soft, but not sticky. Work on a
lightly floured board, pushing dough away with the heel of the hand
and gathering it up with a dough scraper until smooth and pliable.
Press dough into a ball. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap and chill for
30 minutes. It can be stored tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for
up to 3 days.
DIRECTIONS: Roll pastry to about 1/2 inch thickness in a rectangular
shape. Place pastry on an oiled baking sheet. Crimp edges of pastry
if desired. Beat an egg yolk with a pinch of salt and brush over the
entire pastry. This is called “egg glazing” and helps the filling
adhere to the pastry. Pierce pastry with a fork in several places to
prevent bubbles from forming while baking. Spread onion mixture over
the pastry and sprinkle the chopped bacon on top. Bake at 300 degrees
F. for 10 to 15 minutes or until nicely borwned. Cut into 1 inch
squares for hors d’oeuvres. May be made a day ahead and reheated.
Wait to cut until after heating if made ahead. May be baked in
individual tartlet pans or a pie plate. From “Sweet Vidalia Onions”
Blue Ribbon Recipes Published by Howell Printing Company Aiken, South
Carolina ISBN 0-9614318-1-4 Library of Congress Catalog Number
86-090484 If unable to obtain, write the author directly – Evelyn
Rogers P.O. Box 736 Vidalia, Georgia 30474
Yields
6 servings