Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Tart

I may not have mentioned this before but most of the time I work at home.  This has it's great advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are that I am always around when my kids need me, I can work in my jammies and my slippers all day long and I can arrange my work schedule to fit my school schedule.  There are only a couple of disadvantages and the biggest of them all is.....the kitchen is here!  The oven calls my name....making me think about all the things I can make!  Today is no exception.  I have all of these beautiful mushrooms that need to be cooked and I have the second half of a pastry recipe that I either need to use or freeze.  I guess this means we are making a mushroom tart!!

I got as far as par-baking my pastry crust in the tart pan when I realized that not only have I never made a mushroom tart before but I do not even have a recipe for one.  What I do have is a love for all things caramelized and so I did that to some onions and found a block of Gruyere cheese in the the refrigerator (if you know me well, you will know that it is like a cheese shop in my refrigerator, probably another obsession of mine I'm sure).

The following recipe is what I came up with on the fly this morning!  It was a fabulous lunch and will likely be a fabulous dinner as well.  My only regret is that it is too early in the day to have a glass of wine with this tasty treat!  I hope you enjoy it!

Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Tart

1 flaky butter crust (store bought or homemade)

½ medium onion, sliced

3 tablespoons butter

2 cups sliced mushrooms

3 large eggs

¾ cup heavy cream

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Prepare tart shell.  Roll out dough to an 11 inch circle and transfer to 9 inch tart pan with removable sides, trim crust.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake until the crust is set, about 12 minutes.  Remove the weights and bake another 8 - 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.

In a medium skillet, cook the onions in 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat.  Cook while stirring often, until caramelized.  About 15 to 20 minutes.  Put onions in the bottom of the pie crust.

Using the same skillet, cook the mushrooms in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat until tender and beginning to brown.  Remove and add to the crust with the onions.

Sprinkle the cheese on top of the mushrooms and onions.

Combine eggs and the cream in a bowl and whisk well.  Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg and thyme.  Whisk to combine.  Pour into the tart shell and bake until risen and golden brown, about 35 minutes.

Let me know if you need me to publish a recipe for pastry dough...I have one that I love and have used for as long as I've been baking!