I love the flavor of onions after they have cooked for a long period of time.  For this onion pie, I first sauté the onions until tender and then finish cooking them in the oven.  Their sweetness combined with the salty cracker crust and the sharp cheddar cheese flavor makes for a real palate-pleaser.  This pie is great to bring as a side dish to a potluck dinner because it tastes great at room temperature.  Since it is a custard base, I sometimes even serve it at brunch.  If you don’t have access to Vidalia onions, substitute your favorite.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the crackers in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Combine cracker crumbs and melted butter.  Press crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate to form a crust.  Refrigerate for 40 minutes.

While the crust is chilling, sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until tender.  Place the onions into the crust.  Combine eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.  Mix well and pour over the onions.  Top with shredded cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the pie rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.