Everyone is familiar with Italian Parmesan, but is everyone familiar with Taleggio?!

According to “House of Cheese,” by the Di Bruno Bros, owners of the famous, “pioneering specialty food retailer and importer that began with a modest shop in the now-iconic South Philadelphia Italian Market in 1939, “Taleggio is the all-time gateway stinker.” (Which is exactly why I like it!)

Furthermore from the book, “It can be a bit whiffy, but mostly it’s just a bulging cushion of mushroomy lushness encased in a thin orange crust. The Italians have popularized this washed-rind cheese in a way that no other culture has dared. While the Germans have Limburger and the French have Epoisses, both of these robust cheeses tend to freak out the American palate; leave it to the Italians to popularize their ticks little beefcake.”

In a different book, called “A Cheesmonger’s Seasons,” Taleggio is used in both polenta and risotto recipes. But you can simply spread it on warm bread and enjoy. Warning, though, it is on the salty side.

This 3-onion tart is a foolproof recipe. How do I know? Because I didn’t read the recipe through, which is the first thing you learn about following recipes, right?!

This is actually supposed to be more like a crostata or galette, with the sautéed 3=onion mixture actually a topping, not a filling. And I’ve made this tart before!

But as it is with home cooking, it all worked.

Three-Onion Tart with Taleggio
Torta di Tre Cipolle con Taleggio
printable recipe below

Crust
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1/3 cup cold milk

Tart Filling/Topping/Whatever
3 1/2 cups thinly sliced leeks, about 2 medium leeks
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced green onions
1 large egg, beaten to blend
8 ounces Taleggio, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

For the crust, mix flour and salt in large bowl. Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Add egg and oil to well. Pour melted butter and milk into well. Mix ingredients in well, gradually incorporating flour until a dough forms.

Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes. Form into ball. Wrap in a kitchen towel and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.

To prepare the onions, combine the leeks and oil in a large, non-stick skillet. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until leeks are tender but not brown, stirring frequently. This will take about 15 minutes.

Stir in the red onion and green onions. Sauté uncovered until all onions are very tender, about 25 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.

Cool the onion mixture, then mix in the egg and Taleggio.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface, forming a 13″ round. Transfer to a large, rimless baking sheet. Fold outer 1″ of dough over, forming a double-thick rim. Like a galette?!!!

Spread the onion mixture evenly over crust. Since I hadn’t added the blobs of Taleggio to the onions, (ooops), i placed some on the pastry crust, and the rest on the top.

Bake tart 10 minutes. Sprinkle Parmesan over the tart and bake until the crust is golden, about 15 minutes longer.

Let set for a while before slicing.

I served mine with a simple salad of tomatoes.

This tart is fabulous. It would be just as good as a galette, and probably more fun to eat! I love galettes for their rusticity.

The crust for this is a perfect recipe. And now I know why I had so much leftover! Cause this tart wasn’t supposed to be in a 9″ pie pan!

But the combination of the onions with the Taleggio and Parmesan? Out of this world. Make this however you wish. It will be perfect.