Halloween
Butternut squash, spinach and goat cheese tart
- Makes a 10" tart
Author Notes
I adapted this recipe from one in Roast Figs, Sugar Snow. I used goat cheese instead of blue and added caramelized onions and sage to the mix. I also used a butter crust and rolled it thinly, as the filling is rich. Note that you can bake the squash and the crust together. It was fantastic warm for brunch, but I also enjoyed the leftovers at room temperature. —MaryMaryCulinary
What You'll Need
Ingredients
- Flaky butter pastry
-
1.5 cups
all-purpose flour
-
0.5 cups
unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
-
0.5 teaspoons
salt
-
4-7 tablespoons
ice water
-
10" springform or 2" deep tart pan
- Filling
-
1 pound
peeled, seeded butternut squash
-
1
large onion, thinly sliced
-
0.5 pounds
spinach, trimmed and washed
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3 tablespoons
olive oil
-
2
large eggs
-
1
egg yolk
-
1 cup
whipping cream
-
2 ounces
grated parmesan cheese
-
3.5 ounces
fresh goat cheese, crumbled
-
a few leaves fresh sage, minced, or a grating of fresh nutmeg
-
salt and pepper
Directions
- Flaky butter pastry
- Combine flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until butter is broken up. Some pieces will be very small, but some will be pea-sized.
- Add 3 tablespoons of water and pulse. You don't want the dough to come together in a ball. Instead, open the processor and squeeze a handful. If it holds together it's ready. If not, add water in 1-tablespoon increments until it does.
- Flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for a few hours.
- Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to a 13" circle. It will be thin. Transfer to pan, and trim top evenly. I use a springform, so I trim with a knife so it's about 2" high all around. If using a tart pan, trim so it's slightly above the edge of the pan. Chill while oven is preheating.
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line crust with buttered foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 10 minutes, then carefully remove foil and beans and bake about another 10 minutes, until light golden and set. Cool on a rack while preparing filling.
- Filling
- Cut squash into 1" cubes and toss with half of the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Roast, along with the crust, for about 25 minutes, until tender. Set aside to cool. Reduce oven to 350F.
- Saute onion in the remaining olive oil until completely softened and nicely browned. Set aside.
- Blanch spinach in boiling salted water for one minute. Drain and rinse with cold water. Squeeze dry and roughly chop.
- Whisk eggs, yolk, cream, parmesan, sage or nutmeg, salt and pepper together.
- Scatter the squash, spinach, onion and goat cheese over the bottom of the tart shell. Pour the egg mixture over. It will be very close to the top, and that's fine.
- Bake at 350F for 40 minutes, until golden and set when pan is jiggled. Set aside on a rack for at least 15 minutes before serving to give it time to set. Remove sides if using springform, slice and serve. This tart is good warm or at room temperature.
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