Tomato-Feta Tarts

My signature appetizer!  These are great for parties, potlucks, etc.  They are best served warm from the oven, if possible, but very good cold as well.

You will need: 

• Puff pastry.  You can buy it in sheets, as I've done (Pepperidge Farm sells it 2 sheets per package), or you can buy the pre-made puff pastry shells.  I've never worked with the shells, so I don't know well they would work.  You also get less per package for more money, so save yourself some money and get the sheets.  I can generally get about 20 tarts from 2 sheets of pastry.  Make sure the pastry is at room temperature when you start working with it.  You will cry bitter tears if it is not.
• Red onion(s).
• Tomatoes.  I prefer Roma tomatoes.  They slice prettier.
• Olive oil.
• Balsamic vinegar.
• Feta cheese crumbles.

Let the fun begin:

1.  Slice your onion into thinnish strips.  

2.  Gently cook the onions over medium-low (More low than medium, but higher than low.  If that makes any sense.) heat in a coating of olive oil.  You're going to cook them for at least an hour, stirring frequently.  Make sure they don't burn or get too brown.  You want them to lose their color and be limp and slimy.

3.  After 30 minutes or so, add a sprinkling of sugar and a couple of splashes of balsamic vinegar.  Mix well, and keep cooking the onions on medium-low.

4.  The onions will be done after another 30 minutes or so.  You want them nice and caramelized (blurry picture, sorry).

5.  While your onions are cooking, you can start working with your pastry!

6.  Lay out your pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface.  (Side note:  I LOVE our new butcher block island!)

7.  I use a drinking glass to cut out the rounds (that's about the size you want), but you can do whatever your want.  If you're really brave, you can try and freehand them.  I'm a wuss, so I use a glass.

8.  Keep going until you have a lot of pastry scraps left over.

9.  Knead the scrap together and use a rolling pin (or a vodka bottle) to roll out the remaining dough and keep making rounds.

10.  Once you've made all your rounds, layer them with wax paper and put them in a baggie.  Put your onions in a tupperware dish.  Make sure you have your tomatoes and Feta with you.  Get in your car and drive an hour north.  OK, OK, you can probably skip this step, but in our story tonight, that's what happened.  It was Joe's surprise birthday party, and I started the tarts here at home and then finished them up there.

11.  Once you're ready to bake your tarts, preheat your oven to 350° degrees.  (Insert George Carlin quote here.)

12.  Slice your tomatoes.

13.  Mound a small amount of onions on each round (probably a tablespoon or so), and place a tomato slice on top of the onion.

14.  Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry puffs up and turns a light golden brown.

15.  Sprinkle on the feta crumbles (as much or as little as you like).  Serve warm from the oven if possible.  Thanks to Adam for taking the picture of the finished product while I was cleaning up!

I received many compliments on these at the party and I hope you enjoy them just as much!