Is there anything better than sweet, caramelized onions? Maybe caramelized onions topped with herbed goat cheese, a slice of perfectly ripe heirloom tomato, slivers of basil all sitting on a round of puff pastry. Yeah, that’s definitely better. Ina, you’ve done it again.

I made this tart from Ina Garten’s Back to Basics cookbook for a dinner party last night. I feel like I’m slowly working through this cookbook, making every recipe one at a time. The woman just knows what she’s doing when it comes to combining simple flavors into something mind-blowingly good.

Honestly, I don’t think I have much to say about this tart. Its so simple to construct and all you have to do it look at the list of ingredients to know oh-how-good it’s going to be. It was a light but flavor-packed first course, and would make an amazing lunch if you paired it with a salad and a glass of white wine (or two). So please, before the last of the summer tomatoes disappear, get. on. this.

(Pic by E. Bauer)

Goat cheese and tomato tarts

From Ina Garten’s amazing cookbook Back to Basics

Ina says you should get two rounds out of each sheet of puff pastry. I made mine a bit smaller than hers, and I’m fairly sure I could have gotten at least 3 rounds out of each sheet. Also, I got to use my new mandoline, which was awes.

Makes 6

2 packages puff pastry, defrosted

2 large onions, thinly sliced

3 large garlic cloves, slivered

A glug of white wine (3 T.)

1 t. thyme

6 T grated parmesan

6 oz. garlic and herb goat cheese

2 large tomatoes, cut into 1/4″ rounds

3 T. julienned basil leaves

2 oz Parmesan cheese, shaved

• Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Gently roll out to a 12×12″ square.
• Using a 4-6″ saucer as a guide (I used a margarita glass, of course), cut out 2 circles from the sheet. Repeat until you have the number of rounds that you want
• Set the oven to 425° F
• Heat 1 T. olive oil in a sauté pan. Add onions and garlic and cook over medium heat until the onions are soft and the pan is dry (15-20 min)
• Add a couple glugs of wine, thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper,  and continue cooking for another 10 min or until the onions are caramelized and golden
• Place the puff pastry rounds on a pan lined with parchment. With a paring knife, score a 1/4″ inch border around each circle. Prick the inner circles with a fork
• Sprinkle parmesan on each inner circle
• Divide onions among pastry rounds (stay inside the lines!)
• Crumble 1 oz of goat cheese on top of the onions
• Top the mound of goodness with a slice of tomato. Drizzle the tomato with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and basil
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until puffy and golden and smelling delicious