Vegan Roasted Onion Tart

 A savory tart that includes roasted onions and puff pastry is always a winner as an appetizer. As a matter of fact, it is usually the first thing to go at a party. That was the case for Sweetie's 80th birthday bash. I made two of them and they were gone before the party was an hour old.

I've made this kind of tart before, but this time I made it vegan...no animal products. I used Kite Hill non-dairy ricotta for the base of the filling instead of regular ricotta cheese. The puff pastry was the standard Pepperidge Farm from the freezer case, which, it turns out, is made with no butter or other animal products.

 My former recipe coated the onion strands with a honey and white wine mixture before roasting, but honey isn't vegan, so I substituted maple syrup. I did add some salt and some red wine vinegar to cut the sweetness a bit.

Last, but not least, I eliminated the bacon (not a vegan food) and bacon grease, but also the pine nuts...because I couldn't find my stash of pine nuts. I substituted a bit of olive oil for the grease and sunflower seeds for the pine nuts.

It was delicious! No one missed the bacon. Combining yellow and red onions for the filling made it more interesting to look at...and we do eat first with our eyes...the ricotta was creamy in your mouth and the puff pastry was delicate and flaky. Sooo good!

Roasted Onion Tart with Maple and Sunflowers
based on a recipe in the February 2011 Bon Appetit magazine

2 sheets frozen non-dairy puff pastry half of 17.3-oz. package), thawed (Pepperidge Farm works in the U.S.)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 large sweet yellow onions (about 1 pound), cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1 medium red onion, (about 1/2 pound), cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

8 oz. non-dairy ricotta cheese - I used Kite Hill brand
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Few sprigs fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

Using lightly floured rolling pin, roll out each sheet of puff pastry, in turn, on lightly flour surface to 14 x 10-inch rectangle. Fold 1/2 inch of pastry edges in toward center on all sides, forming 13 x 9-inch rectangle. Transfer pastry to large rimmed baking sheet. Press firmly on pastry edges with fork to form rim. Chill crusts. You will have two. 

Whisk maple syrup, wine and red wine vinegar and salt in large bowl. Add onions; toss to coat. Coat another large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Spread onion mixture in even layer on sheet. Roast 30 minutes. Turn onions over, allowing rings to separate. Roast until onions are caramelized, turning often for even browning, 30 to 45 minutes. (I cooked them until the least colored ones were pale gold, which meant that some edges were charred, but mostly the mass of onions was medium gold, not darker because they will still be browning while tart cooks later.) cool onions slightly. (At this point, and without leaving the oven on, I refrigerated the onion mixture, then brought it back to room temperature the next day for the baking part.)

When ready to bake, set oven temperature to 400 degrees F and preheat the oven. Let onion mixture come to room temperature. Mix non-dairy ricotta, garlic salt, nutmeg and dried thyme in small bowl. Using offset spatula, spread half of the ricotta mixture over one of the crusts almost to the folded edge. Arrange half the onions atop ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with half the sunflower seeds. Repeat ricotta, onions, and sunflower seeds on the other crust. Bake tarts until crust is light golden brown and topping is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Move baking sheets in oven top to bottom and front to back, as needed, to bake the tarts evenly. Sprinkle with fresh thyme and serve.

Makes about 12 appetizer servings per tart, so 24 for the recipe.