Sasha's Kitchen: Goat Cheese Tomato & Onion Tart

I've been searching for the perfect goat cheese, tomato and onion tart for what seems like forever. I've tried a couple of things and haven't really been happy with any of them. My mom was visiting us recently, and she often comes bringing wonderful new cookbooks for me to try out. This time she brought Barefoot Contessa's Back to Basics, which I was excited to try since I love Ina Garten. The first recipe I tried from this cookbook was my adaption of her tomato & goat cheese tarts on pages 92 and 93, which are made using a puff pastry crust. Why didn't I think of that as the base for the perfect tart - especially considering that I love puff pastry?

Tomato & Goat Cheese Tarts (adapted from Barefoot Contessa)
1 package (17.3 oz) puff pastry, defrosted (two sheets)
4 cups thinly sliced onions (about two large onions)
3 large cloves garlic, cut into slices (I love garlic so I used five)
3 T dry white wine
2 tsp minced fresh thyme
4 T freshly grated parmesan (I used a bit more, maybe 6, in total), plus 2 oz for top
8 oz goat cheese (I used about twice as much as the original recipe called for), crumbled
1 large tomato cut into 4 slices ( I made smaller tarts, so i used two tomatoes cut into eight slices)
3 T julienned basil leaves

Unfold the puff pastry sheets.  Ina suggests tracing and cutting the rectangles into circles, but I found it much easier to cut them into squares, for a total of eight. Place the pastry circles or squares in two sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 425. Heat 3 T of olive oil in a skilled and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes until the onions are limp and there is little moisture remaining in the skilled. Add 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and the white wine and thyme and cool for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. This gives the onions an absolutely fabulous flavor, and they are my favorite part of this recipe.

Score a /14 inch border around each pastry square or circle. Sprinkle a tablespoon of parmesan on each pastry round, staying inside the border. Divide the onion mixture evenly between each round, again staying inside the border. Crumble the goat cheese (I used 8 oz rather than 4) on each tart and place a slice of tomato in the center of each. Brush the tomato lightly with oil and season with basil, salt and pepper on top. Top with some freshly grated parmesan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and nice and puffy. Serve warm or hot.

Sasha's Kitchen: Goat Cheese Tomato & Onion Tart