Savory Apple Tart for One

It’s Day 3 of my Week of Apples, and it’s time for something savory. Savory apples? Sure! Apples are sweet and crunchy, and they play nicely with herbs, cheese, and onions.

For the Pastry:

¾ cup all-purpose flour

A pinch of salt

3 TBLSP vegan butter, cut into chunks

1 ½ TBLSP cold water (or part cold water, part vodka, which makes a lighter pastry)

For the Filling:

½ of a yellow onion, sliced

1 TBLSP olive oil

Pinch of sea salt

1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, chopped or ground in the mortar and pestle

1/2 tart apple (I like Grannysmith)

¼ cup walnut pieces

1 TBLSP of shredded vegan cheese (I used Daiya mozzarella)

To Make the Pastry:

1. Combine the flour and salt in a small bowl. Add the butter and cut with a pastry knife or a fork until the dough is roughly the consistency of coarse meal.
2. Add the water (and vodka), mixing until well combined.
3. Gather it into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate while you make the filling, about half an hour.

Tra-la-la!

To Make the Filling:

1. In a skillet, heat the olive oil, onions, salt, and rosemary, and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or so, stirring often. The onions should be soft and golden when they’re done.
2. While the onions are cooking, prepare the apple. Peel it (optional), quarter it, and slice it thinly. When the onions are done, take them off the heat and add the apples and walnuts. Set it aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Assemble the Tart:

1. Roll the dough into a large circle. It doesn’t have to be pretty, but it should be about 1/8^th inch thick. That’s not very thin—roughly like a sugar cookie. It will fit on a salad plate when you're finished.
2. Lay the circle of dough on a baking sheet or in a pie pan. You’ll want to make sure that nothing drips into your oven, so your pan should have a lip.
3. Leaving a 1-inch gap at the edges, spread the filling out over the dough. Sprinkle the cheese over the filling, and then bring that inch-wide dough-gap up and over the edges of the filling. This will be a very rustic looking tart. Unless you’re fastidious. I’m not. <shrugs> Sometimes, it looks a bit like a volcano. Other times, it’s more sophisticated.
4. Bake for 40 minutes, until the pastry is golden.

Let it cool slightly before devouring.

Variations:

• Diced vegan Beer Brats arevnice in the filling.
• Rice or quinoa mix nicely with the filling too.
• Try dried or fresh tarragon instead of rosemary for a slightly licorice taste.