In Season Five of Weekends with Yankee, host Richard Wiese visited a hydroponic farm in Hamden, Connecticut, while host Amy Traverso, Yankee magazine senior food editor, traveled to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to reminisce about Julia Child with the great chef’s friend Lydia Schire. Back home in her own kitchen, she baked apple, cheddar, and caramelized onion pastry bites, a tangy hors d’oeuvre inspired by the beloved host of The French Chef.

Makes about 40 puffs

INGREDIENTS

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  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 2 large yellow onions, sliced crosswise into 1⁄8-inch-thick rings
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons fresh apple cider, divided
  • 1 sheet good-quality store-bought puff pastry, kept cold
  • 1 medium firm-tart apple unpeeled, cored and cut into thin slices
  • 3 cups finely grated sharp Cheddar cheese

TO PREPARE

STEP ONE. In a skillet or sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Then, add the onions, thyme and salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent but do not change color.

STEP TWO. Remove the cover, raise the heat to medium, and pour in 4 tablespoons of the cider, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to pick up any browned bits. Cook the liquid down until reduced to just a tablespoon or so, for about eight minutes, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of cider, scraping the bottom once more, and cook until the onions are golden brown.

STEP THREE. Put the chilled pastry on the ungreased baking sheet and roll out to a rectangle about 12 by 15 inches. If the pastry becomes soft or sticky during this process, put it in the freezer for four minutes to chill. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the pastry in crisscrossing diagonal lines to form diamond-shaped pieces, each about 3 inches wide at the widest point.

STEP FOUR. Top the center of each piece with an apple slice (trim to fit), a small pile of onions and a sprinkling of cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and the pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a warmed platter and serve immediately.