This delightfully buttery pie crust filled with caramelized onions, tomatoes and cheese makes for a simple and elegant appetizer – and I'm not sure where I found the courage to even try it.

For years I've been unreasonably nervous about making pie crust. I've seen even expert bakers pull their hair out over a failed pie crust. So, I surprised myself when – after deciding to make an onion and cheese tart to take to Easter dinner at my parents' house – I abandoned my go-to phyllo safety net and resolved to make a crust from scratch. But, because I'd never made a pie crust before, I didn't tell my mother that I would be bringing the tart.

I was hedging my bets.

But, I didn't need to. The crust was delicious and simple and pretty. The caramelized onion filling is one that I've been making for years and it couldn't be easier – and everyone loved it. So, as it turns out I didn't need to be nervous at all.

Because making a pie crust has always seemed so daunting, I've probably watched at least 10 cooking shows with the theme of: “How to make the perfect pie crust!” And everyone says the same thing – make sure the butter is very cold. So, I froze the butter for a few minutes along with the metal bowl I was going to mixing it in – because, hey – cold bowl will equal keeping butter colder during the mixing process.

Pie Crust

1 ¼ cups of flour

1 teaspoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

1 stick of butter

1/4 cup of ice water + 1 tablespoon for egg wash

1 egg

Mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Cut the butter in the flour by using two butter knives. When the butter is the size of large crumbs start adding the water a tablespoon at a time. Surprisingly the dough comes together into a pretty neat ball. Refrigerate the dough for an hour.

While the dough is firming up, start on your onions.

Caramelized Onion, Tomato and Parmesan Filling

2 large red onions, sliced

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon of sugar

Salt and pepper

¼ cup of white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)

2 tablespoons of fresh thyme

1 plum tomato, seeded and diced

½ cup of parmesan, grated

In a large frying pan saute the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper and sugar together on low heat. Let the onions cook down until they're soft and then add the wine. Stir the onions every few minutes to keep them from burning – but you want them to develop a rich brown color. That's when they're sweetest. The whole process should take about an hour. Near the end of that process, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the onions from the heat and add in the diced tomato, thyme and cheeses.

Pull the dough out of the refrigerator and divide the ball of dough into two pieces. Since the tart only has a bottom crust, freeze the second ball of dough for future use.

Roll the dough out, so it's a little larger than the pie plate. You want to have some overhang. Gently lay the dough out in the pie plate and push it into the bottom and corners gently with your fingers. Add the onion mixture and loosely crimp the edges of the dough. Mix together the egg and water and brush it over the edge of the pie crust.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the crust is golden.

(Photos by Launie Kettler)