Creamy and warm herb scented goat cheese filling off-set by the sweet caramelized onions and a flaky and buttery puff pastry… a savory tatin to outshine all other lesser attempts.  It was a start to a vacation that failed to match it in delectable qualities.  But for all the food in Alsace, I wouldn’t give it up.  A little extreme?  Melodramatic much?

Yes, but for a tatin that obliterates the all-powerful Apple Tarte Tatin, a little bit of dramatics is called for.

Goat Cheese Tatin

Inspired by Café D’Alsace in New York City, and epicurious.com

A month later, this is the recreation I came up with.  It’s very delicious, but I would say not exactly the same as the Goat Cheese Tatin at the Café D’Alsace.  Really though, cheese in puff pastry is hard to mess up.

1 sheet frozen puff pastry

11 oz. soft goat cheese, mild or sharp

¾ cup low-fat cottage cheese

3 large egg yolks

¼ cup flour

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme

2-3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

2-3 tablespoons fresh chopped chives

1 large white onion

Olive oil

1 large egg

1.  Slice whole onion into thin strips.  Caramelize in a frying pan over medium-low heat in a little bit of olive oil.  This takes a while, about 20 minutes, but it’s well worth it!

2.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Thaw the puff pastry.  In a food processor, place the goat cheese, cottage cheese, egg yolks, flour, butter, caramelized onions, and fresh herbs.  Process until smooth and loose.  Refrigerate.

3.  Prick two sheets of puff pastry with a fork to release air and bake for 10 minutes under a weighted pan.  Remove the pan and one sheet of pastry.  Bake the remaining sheet of pastry for 8-10 more minutes until deeply golden.  Fit this second sheet of pastry, the bottom sheet, into a square or rectangular baking pan, making sure all edges are bordered.  (Leaky filling is as delicious, but less beautiful….)

4.  Turn heat up to 375 degrees. Whip remaining egg in a small bowl and thin slightly with about 1 tablespoon of water for egg wash.  Pour goat cheese filling on top of deeply golden puff pastry and drape with second, less cooked sheet.  Glaze with egg wash.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until filling is set and top pastry sheet is golden brown.  Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before serving.

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