Comte cheese & wild garlic tart with fresh picked wild garlic leaves and sweet caramelised onions. Delicious served warm or cold with a crunchy side salad, for dinner or as part of a picnic feast.
Comte cheese & wild garlic tart is a wonderful rich, cheesy dish that we have flavoured with freshly picked wild garlic leaves and sweet caramelised onions.
There is something very comforting about a tart, served still warm, straight from the oven. We like to enjoy this type of dish with a nice crunchy salad tossed in a simple vinaigrette.
This cheese & onion tart is delicious to eat served either hot and cold. So, if you have leftovers these can be enjoyed the day after for lunch.
Heading out on a picnic, make this cheese & caramelised onion tart the day before, pack it in your picnic basket and take it along with you to enjoy cold.
How to make shortcrust pastry:
How to line the pastry tin:
Filling the tart:
Wild garlic tart ingredients & substitutions:
- Cheese: Comte cheese is delicious in this tart, however, you can easily substitute with other cheeses. Choose a cheese that melts well, like Gruyere which is a great substitute. However, Fontina, Cheddar or Gouda would also work equally well. If you don't have enough of one cheese, then mix them up. For example use a mix of Comte and Gruyere. It's a great was of using up bits and pieces of leftover cheese.
- Wild Garlic: is seasonal, therefore not available all year round. However, if you want to add a freshness to this cheese quiche, then simply substitute with some fresh chopped herbs. It has a taste similar to a combination of garlic and chive so herbs like basil, parsley, chives, thyme and tarragon would all work in this quiche.
- Onion: we love adding caramelised onion, but you can leave them out if you wish. You may have a jar of shop bought onions, or an onion jam, these will work perfectly well in this dish.
Do I have to make my own pastry?
We have made our own shortcrust pastry in this Comte cheese tart as we are in the habit of making pastry. However, if you are short of time, or would prefer not to make your own, a roll of ready made shortcrust pastry or a pre-baked pastry case will work just fine.
Is this tart a make-ahead dish?
Comte cheese tart can be made up to 2 days ahead of when you want to eat it. Simply cook and allow to cool completely before covering with kitchen foil and keeping in the fridge until you are ready to eat. This makes it a great dish for taking on a picnic with you.
Can I freeze Comte cheese tart?
Yes this tart is easily frozen. Once cooked, allow the tart to cool completely, before wrapping in kitchen foil and placing it in a suitable freezer-proof container. In fact I often like to make two quiches while I'm baking, one to enjoy now and one to freeze for later.
Pin the recipe:
Additional recipe suggestions
If you like using eggs then try these recipes:
Recipe ideas with wild garlic
For other great ideas for dinner, read my Ultimate Guide to Family Dining where you will find much more recipe inspiration.
Also have a look at my 5 Wild Garlic Recipes post which features our favourite ways to make the most of this delicious leafy green when it is in season.
Comte Cheese Tart with Wild Garlic & Onion
Equipment
- 23 cm tart pan
Ingredients
Caramelised onions (optional)
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 1 large onion (sliced)
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- pinch salt
Pastry
- 200 g plain flour
- 100 g unsalted butter (cold, cut into cubes)
- pinch salt
- 1 egg (whisked)
- 1-2 teaspoon cold water (optional, if needed)
Filling
- 4 large eggs
- 200 ml double cream
- 150 g comte cheese (grated)
- 25 g wild garlic (washed and roughly chopped)
- salt & pepper (to season)
Instructions
Caramelised onions (optional)
- In a small fry pan heat the oil to medium. Add the sliced onion and cook until soft and starting to caramelise, about 20 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, salt and stir. Remove from heat, set aside and allow to cool.
Pastry
- In a food processor, add the flour, salt and cold butter in cubes. Pulse until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the whisked egg and turn processor on low to medium until the mixture comes together and forms a ball. If the dough still a bit dry you can add the optional cold water 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Remove from processor, form into a ball and cover and chill for 10-15 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 180F. Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface until it fits the tart case.
- Gently place the pastry into the tart case allowing a slight overhang the edges. If any tears appear simply "glue" together with remnant of the pasty. Line with baking parchment and fill with baking beans, blind bake for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, remove pastry from oven, carefully remove baking beans (they will be hot!) and the parchment paper. At this point you can trim the edges to make a neat edge with a knife. Return to oven for another 5 minutes to seal the bottom of the case.
- Remove pastry case from the oven and prepare remainder of filling.
Filling
- Turn oven down to 140 Fan.
- In a bowl, whisk the eggs, cream. Add most of the grated cheese, reserving a little for the top and the chopped wild garlic. Season with salt & pepper.
- In the bottom of the pastry case, spread the cooled onions.
- Now pour in the egg mixture, top with the final sprinkling of cheese and drape over the final few reserved wild garlic leaves to decorate.
- Bake at Fan 140 for 30-35 minutes. The filling will puff up, this is normal.
- Remove from the oven, allow to rest for 10 minutes and then serve warm or allow to cool completely and serve cold. Makes great leftovers.
Notes
• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •
Helen says
This looks like a great recipe, but should I add 1 egg to the pastry as the ingredients list doesn't mention eggs.
Lesley says
Thank you very much for picking that up Helen, much appreciated. I've now amended the recipe to include the extra egg for the pastry.
Rhio says
Hi! Just in the process of making this and it smells delicious! I actually made the pastry and the caramelized onions in the Thermomix and my 2 year old daughter helped me pick the wild garlic from the park this morning. Best wishes from Denmark!
Lesley says
Thank you Rhio, it's such a tasty recipe and a great way of using wild garlic. We are still waiting for our wild garlic to appear up here in North East Scotland.
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says
Such a fab idea for a tart filling,.. drooling a little bit! Eb x
Lesley says
Thank you Eb, definitely one of my favourites and on the menu for this week again! Lesley x
Janice Pattie says
As you know I am a bit of a sucker for anything that features Wild Garlic. I'm now totally jealous that I didn't think of making a tart like this. I'll just have to use your recipe instead!.
Lesley says
Thank you Janice. Like you we both love wild garlic and pick it regularly through the growing season. This tart is a real winner. Lesley x
Jacqui – Recipes Made Easy:Only Crumbs Remain says
Oh my this looks just perfect. I could very happily tuck in. Hoping i can get the ingredients to try it in the near future,
Lesley says
Thank you Jacqui, it's a really tasty tart. We are very lucky to have a readily available supply on our doorstep! Lesley x
Rosemary says
This looks delicious. You just can't go wrong with caramelised onions and cheese and the addition of wild garlic must make it extra tasty. Definitely the season for wild garlic now too!
Lesley says
Thank you Rosemary, I agree entirely, cheese and onion in a tart is a winner in my books. I made a version of this tart yesterday, using the cheese I had in the fridge. I'm off to enjoy the leftovers for lunch, given the sun is shining this will make a lovely picnic in my garden. Lesley x
Alison says
I have yet to find wild garlic so a little jealous! The tart looks delicious
Lesley says
Thank you Alison, we are very lucky to have quite a few large patches of wild garlic available for picking, close to both our homes. It's something we look forward to cooking with every year. Lesley x
Choclette says
Oh, your tart looks so so good. I adore both Comte and Gruyere and your wild garlic addition is a definite plus too. I can just imagine how delicious this is and now I want a picnic with your tart as the focal point. Although the only picnics likely for a while are in the garden!
Thanks for sharing with #CookBlogShare
Lesley says
Thank you Choclette, like you I love taking a savoury tart on a picnic. I made one yesterday and I may just picnic on the leftovers in my garden today since the sun is shining. Lesley x
Sylvie says
I love love love savoury tarts and this one looks just right up my alley! Comte cheese is so underrated - but so delicious - and what a great flavour combo with wild garlic and onion!
Lesley says
Thank you Sylvie, I couldn't agree more, there's something very comforting about a savoury tart. I made a variation of this yesterday, using what's left in my fridge and am looking forward to the leftovers for lunch today. Lesley x
Helen @ family-friends-food.com says
That looks so good! The wild garlic must make it extra delicious.
Lesley says
Thank you Helen, it's a delicious tart and the wild garlic does make it that little bit more so. I'm throwing wild garlic in everything at the moment. Lesley x