Walla Walla Onion & Ham Tart
Timberline Lodge-Gournet Mag.June 99
submitted by Betty G.
1 Ready-Made Pastry Shell (in dairy section of grocery store)
3 med. Walla Walla onions or other sweet onions (2 1/4 lbs. Total)
½ lb. piece sugar cured baked ham
½ lb. mushrooms
2 T. unsalted butter
1 T. caraway seeds
1/4 c. all purpose flour
4 large eggs
½ c. heavy cream
½ c. apricot preserves
Special equipment:
10X1 1/2" round fluted tart pan with removable bottom
pie weights or raw rice for weighting shell
Fit pastry onto tart pan. Roll rolling pin over top of
shell to trim dough flush with rim and lightly press dough up
side of pan. With a fork, prick bottom and side of shell all
over.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line shell with foil and
fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake shell in middle of
oven according to package directions. And carefully remove
foil and weights. Bake shell until just pale golden, 6-8
min. While shell is baking, halve onions through root end and
thinly slice. Cut ham int 1/4" dice; thinly slice mushrooms.
In a deep 12" heavy skillet, cook onions in butter over
moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 20
min. Add ham, mushrooms, and caraway seeds; cook, stirring
occasionally, until most of liquid mushrooms give off is
evaporated. Sprinkle flour over mixture; combine well. Remove
skillet from heat; cool mixture 5 min.
In a large bowl, whish together eggs & cream; stir in
onion mixture, salt & pepper to taste. Spoon filling into
shell, smoothing top; bake in middle of oven until just set
about 30 min.
While tart is baking, in a saucepan heat apricot
preserves, stirring, until hot; force through a sieve into a
bowl.
Brush hot tart with apricot glaze; bake in middle of oven
until pale golden 10-15 min more. Transfer tart to a rack to
cool. Serves 8 as a lunch main course. 
