Zwiebelwähe (Swiss Onion Tart)
In short: A Swiss open tart of slowly cooked onions in a creamy egg custard with nutmeg and caraway, baked in a crisp shortcrust base. It takes about 1 h 50 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 1 h 10 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 535 kcal
A Wähe is a flat Swiss tart, and the Zwiebelwähe is one of its most common savory versions. Onions are cooked slowly until sweet and soft, then baked in a custard of eggs, cream and milk with nutmeg and a few caraway seeds. It makes a good lunch or light supper with a green salad, and in Bern it is the classic food at the onion market in November.
Instructions
- Mix the flour and salt, rub in the cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, then add just enough ice water to bring it together. Shape into a disk, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over low heat. Cook the onions with a pinch of salt for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until very soft and golden but not browned. Cool.
- Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Roll the pastry out to fit a 28 cm (11 in) tart pan, line the pan, prick the base with a fork and chill for 10 minutes.
- Line the pastry with baking paper and baking beans or rice and bake for 12 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for 5 minutes more, until pale golden.
- Whisk the eggs, cream, milk, nutmeg, caraway, salt and pepper. Stir in the cooled onions.
- Pour the filling into the pastry case and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until puffed, golden and just set in the center.
- Rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature with a green salad.
Tips
- For a richer tart, stir a handful of grated Gruyère into the custard along with the cooled onions.
- Cook the onions until completely soft. Undercooked onions release water in the oven, which makes the custard watery and the base soggy.
Questions and answers
What is a Wähe?
A Wähe is a Swiss open tart with a thin pastry base and a savory or sweet topping or custard. Onion, cheese and fruit versions are the best known.
Can I use store-bought pastry?
Yes. A sheet of ready-made shortcrust pastry saves time. Blind-bake it as in the recipe so the base stays crisp.
Can I freeze Zwiebelwähe?
Yes. Freeze the baked, cooled tart in slices for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in a 180°C (350°F) oven for about 15 minutes.
How long does it take to make Zwiebelwähe (Swiss Onion Tart)?
About 1 h 50 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 1 h 10 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Zwiebelwähe (Swiss Onion Tart)?
About 535 kcal per serving, with 9 g of protein, 46 g of carbohydrates and 35 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 535 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 46 g |
| Fat | 35 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 12 g |
| Sodium | 950 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
