melissa clark's fig tart

this sweetly savory tart reminds me of a caramelized onion, goat cheese and tomato tart, which i spied in an issue of gourmet (may it rest in peace) when i was about eleven years old. i became fixated on it and it was one of the first things i decided to learn to cook entirely on my own (after pancakes and omelettes). i made it for my parents somewhat forcefully once every two weeks for six months, because boy was i proud of it. to this day, i'm still a total sucker for sweet/savory combinations like that, although that particular cheese/onion/tomato combination makes me vaguely nauseated, nostalgia aside. melissa clark's fig tart has similar elements but with some twists: rosemary gives it a comforting, cool-weather feel, baked figs shift it from summer into fall, and stilton cuts the sweetness.

the recipe suggests serving with a drizzle of honey, but i skipped it because i didn't want this too be too cloying. ps: homer essentially made this whole tart, i just took pictures and ate.
fig tart with caramelized onions, rosemary & stilton

adapted from melissa clark for the new york times
makes 8 (smallish) servings

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large onions (1 1/2 lbs), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1 sprig rosemary, more for garnish
• pinch sugar
• 1 tsp sherry vinegar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• flour for dusting
• 3/4 lb prepared puff pastry (we used phyllo dough)
• 1 pint fresh figs (3/4 lb), stemmed and cut in half lengthwise
• 1 1/2 oz stilton cheese, crumbled (about 6 tbsp)
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• good-quality honey for drizzling, optional

in a large skillet over low heat, melt butter with oil. add onions, rosemary and sugar. cook, tossing occasionally, until onions are limp and golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. stir in the vinegar, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan

while onions are caramelizing, toast pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for a few minutes (until lightly browned and fragrant), shaking pan every 30 seconds or so. remove from heat when toasted.

in a small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg until smooth. stir in the onions. preheat oven to 400°F. line an 11"x17" baking sheet with parchment paper. on a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to a 9"x12" rectangle. transfer to baking sheet.use a fork to spread onion mixture evenly over pastry (let excess egg mixture drip back into bowl), leaving a 1-inch border. arrange figs, cut-side up, in even rows on onion mixture. scatter cheese and pine nuts over figs. use a pastry brush to dab edges of tart with egg mixture. gently fold over edges of tart to form a lip and brush with more egg mixture.

bake until pastry is puffed and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. serve cut into squares, sprinkled with rosemary needles and drizzled with honey, if desired, warm or at room temperature.