Onion and Potato Tart

The newly chilled air inspired me to make something warm with these farmers market potatoes. It uses nearly all I can buy fresh, vegetable-wise, at the markets these days: potatoes, fall herbs and onions. Plus I love any excuse to use Musser's Artisan Cheese in a dish. It melts beautifully and goes particularly well with potatoes, like a cheddar.

Onion and Potato Tart
Serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side

For the filling:
1 large red onion, peeled and sliced
6 medium red potatoes, washed and dried, peels on
10 large sage leaves
4 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 oz cheese, cut in a small dice (use cheddar or gruyere, anything bold-flavored that will melt)
2 oz cheese, thinly sliced (use cheddar or gruyere, anything bold-flavored that will melt)
salt and pepper

For the crust:
4 oz filo dough, about 10 sheets, thawed
3-4 T butter, melted

Slice the potatoes very thinly and set aside. Prep the cheese too,
so it's ready to go. Heat your oven to 400º.

Whisk the eggs with the milk, adding a pinch of
salt and pepper. Add your potatoes to this
mixture to keep them from browning.
Stir in the sage and the cubed cheese.

Spray or lightly oil a frying pan on medium heat.
Let the onions cook slowly, growing dark and
carmelly but not crisp. While they cook, make
the filo crust.

I have a lot of respect for filo, so I try to have everything
ready to go before I start this part. Butter a 9" square pan
very well, then unroll your filo to cover the bottom and sides.
Alternate draping the rectangle one way and then the
other to make the edge even, folding the sides back
down and buttering each paper-thin layer of filo before
adding another. Once you have about six solid layers of filo,
spread the cooked onions over the bottom. Pour the filling into
the pan, spreading potato slices by hand to even them out.
Drape the slices of cheese across the top and
drizzle with any remaining butter.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the center is puffed and the
top and sides are golden brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing
and any thick slices of potato will continue to cook through.
For a complete meal, serve warm with a spinach and apple salad.