Contributed by (Recipe adapted from “Suite 101” at www.suite101.com)

Ingredients

3 C Shallots, chopped
3 Tbs Olive oil
2 Tbs Balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs soft dark Brown sugar
2 Tbs fresh Thyme leaves
1/2 Emmental cheese
180g Puff pastry (ready-rolled sheet or see recipe*)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the shallots in the bowl, and cover with boiling water. Leave for 5-8 minutes then peel. If they don't naturally fall into two pieces, halve them. Heat the oil in the frying pan, and fry the shallots gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in the vinegar, sugar, thyme leaves, and 2 Tbs water, then fry gently for a further five minutes, stirring at times to prevent sticking and to coat the shallots. Line the base of the cake tin with a circle of baking parchment, tip the shallot filling into the cake tin, smooth over to cover the base, then leave 10 minutes to cool. Grate the cheese and spread evenly over the filling. Lay the pastry over the tin, and trim to leave a 5cm overlap all round. Tuck the surplus pastry down the inside of the tin to seal the filling. Bake high up in the oven for 25 minutes or until the pastry is well browned. Allow the tarte to cool for 5 minutes, then run a spatula gently around the edges to avoid sticking. Place a large plate over the tarte, hold both firmly, and quickly invert them. Remove the parchment. Let cool slightly before serving.

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