A perfect pairing for our Brunello 2017
Brooklyn-born Hillary Sterling is the executive chef of Ci Siamo, Union Square Hospitality Group's latest restaurant in Manhattan West. Her experience includes A Voce, salami and butchery at Lupa Osteria and Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill. At Ci Siamo, Hillary has created an ambitious restaurant centered around live-fire cooking and the understated excellence of seasonal ingredients. The culmination of her diverse culinary training and extensive travels, Ci Siamo is Hillary’s most personal project to date and celebrates the power of simplicity. We are deeply grateful to have received her recipe for the delicious Roasted Onion Torta, a perfect pairing for our Brunello 2017.
Ingredients (makes 4/5 individual rounds)
Pie Dough: 1 1/3 cup flour, 8 oz cold butter, 2 oz water, 2 oz Pecorino Romano, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar
Onion Filling: 2 pounds cippolline onions, peeled, 1 tbsp olive oil, 4 tbsp butter
Pecorino Fonduta 1 quart heavy cream, 7 oz Pecorino Romano, 1 tsp salt
Pie Dough: Dice butter and keep cold until ready to use. Place all dry ingredients in a food processor to combine. Add diced butter slowly until the mixture forms a ball. Chill dough for at least 1 hour (the dough can be made in advance and frozen until ready). Once ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F and roll dough into one large pie or 4-5 individual rounds. Prick the pie crusts with the tines of a fork and transfer dough to pie tins. Line the pie dough with parchment paper (the paper should fit snugly on top of the dough itself) and fill with uncooked beans or pie weights. Blind bake pie dough for 12-15 minutes until golden.
Onion Filling: Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat to 350°F. Season onions with salt and let sit for 15 minutes. Melt butter and add olive oil in a large heatproof non-stick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add onions and toss to coat. Transfer to oven and roast, tossing occasionally, until deeply caramelized and tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool on a sheet tray.
Pecorino Fonduta: In a saucepan over medium heat, add cream and cook until reduced by about half. Transfer to a blender (or using a hand blender) puree cheese into the reduced cream while still hot. Set aside until you’re ready to build your tart.
Assembly: Fill cooled pie crust with roasted onions, completely covering the crust. Pour a thin layer of fonduta over the onions. Sprinkle with pecorino cheese. Place pies under the broiler to caramelize the cheese, 3-4 minutes. Garnish with cracked black pepper, a drizzle of aged balsamic and thyme leaves
Serve hot or at room temperature with a glass of Brunello 2017!
