Butternut Squash Tarte Tatin Food

BUTTERNUT SQUASH TART WITH CHILE HONEY

Steps:

• For the crust: Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Put the flour, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and process until thoroughly combined with no visible chunks of butter. Add the egg and pulse until the dough just starts to clump. Transfer the dough to the springform pan and press it evenly on the bottom and 1 inch up the sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• For the filling: Adjust an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Toss the butternut squash slices with the melted butter, sage, 1 tablespoon honey and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
• Sprinkle the Parmesan and breadcrumbs evenly on the bottom of the crust, then scatter over 1/2 cup of the gruyere cubes. Lay out a single layer of butternut squash slices, breaking off pieces of squash to fill any gaps. Scatter another 1/2 cup of gruyere over the squash. Top with the rest of the butternut squash slices and then the remaining 1/2 cup gruyere.
• Put the springform pan on a baking sheet and bake, until the squash can be pierced easily with a knife, about 1 hour and 40 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes. (If the crust gets too dark, cover loosely with foil.)
• Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, crushed red pepper and the remaining 2 tablespoons honey in a microwave-safe bowl large enough to contain it (the honey may boil over in the microwave). Microwave for 30 seconds to heat up the honey and infuse the chile flavor. Reserve.
• Drizzle the tart all over with the chile-infused honey and serve immediately.

UPSIDE-DOWN BUTTERNUT SQUASH TART

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
• Put the puff pastry on a cutting board, put an inverted 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet on top and cut the pastry with a knife. Transfer the pastry round to a parchment-lined baking sheet and poke all over with a fork. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Put the sugar in the bottom of the 10-inch skillet. Heat over medium heat, shaking the skillet frequently, until the sugar is a dark caramel color, about 5 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, separate the necks and bulbs of the squash using a sharp knife. Reserve the bulbs for another use. Cut the stems off the necks and peel the necks with a peeler. Using a mandoline, slice the squash as thinly as possible while keeping them as whole circles.
• Start to arrange 1 layer of overlapping squash slices over the bottom of the skillet in concentric circles. Sprinkle with half the thyme, half the sage and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Lay down another layer of squash and top with the remaining thyme and sage and another 1/2 teaspoon salt. Top with any remaining squash and place the puff pastry round on top.
• Transfer the skillet to a baking sheet and bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let cool for 3 minutes in the skillet and invert onto a plate. Top with freshly grated Parmesan.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lay the squash slices on a baking tray and sprinkle over a little of the caster sugar. Bake for 20 mins or until the squash is still slightly resistant to a sharp knife, but not hard. Don't overcook the squash, or it will break when you try to move it.
• Meanwhile, scatter the rest of the sugar into an ovenproof frying pan about 20cm across, and heat it gently until it melts and starts to caramelise. Tip the pan if you need to combine patches of sugar that haven't melted into the liquid parts, but don't be tempted to stir. When you have a medium amber-coloured caramel, sprinkle on the spices and lemon juice. Turn the heat off.
• Take the squash out of the oven and leave to cool for a couple of mins. Use tongs to place the squash in the frying pan, gently arranging the slices in a tight spiral on the caramel. Start with a large slice in the centre and lay the other slices on top so it looks neat when you turn it out. When the squash is all in the pan, turn the heat on again and cook until the caramel starts to bubble. Turn the heat down and cook for about 10-15 mins, making sure the caramel doesn't burn. You want the squash to give off any water and then to start absorbing the caramel - the caramel will start to get very liquid as this happens, so turn the heat up at the end and make sure the caramel thickens up completely. Turn the heat off, drop the butter into the centre of the pan and wait for it to melt.
• Cut the pastry into a rough circle just bigger than the pan and drape it over the squash, folding any excess over on itself and carefully tucking it in around the edge. Bake for 20 mins, then turn the heat down to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and bake for a further 20 mins. Turn out onto a plate while the tarte is hot so the squash and caramel release easily. Serve with crème fraîche or ice cream.

SPICED SQUASH & SWEET POTATO TARTE TATIN

Steps:

• Put a large saucepan of water on to boil. Quarter the squash with a large, heavy knife, then peel each wedge and seed with a sharp spoon. Cut both the squash and the sweet potatoes into large chunks, about the size of toasted marshmallows. (If the sweet potatoes are long and thin, diagonal chunks look better.) Throw the chunks into the boiling water, cover the pan and bring back to the boil. Remove the lid and cook for 5 minutes or until slightly tender, then drain and let cool.
• Cut each onion into 6 chunky wedges, leaving a little bit of the root attached so the layers don't fall apart. Put a large, non-stick frying pan, about 30cm/12in from edge to edge, over a medium-high flame. (You need a pan with an ovenproof handle, and we've an offer on one, below right). Heat the butter and oil, then tip in the onions and fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until well-coloured.
• Keeping the fat at a lively simmer, add the garlic and fry for 1 minute, stirring almost constantly so it colours but doesn't burn. Stir in the coriander, cumin and chilli powder and fry for a scant minute, stirring constantly. Fry the tomatoes, cut side down in the pan, for 1 minute.
• Remove the pan from the heat, then gently stir in the kalonji seeds. Add the squash and sweet potatoes and, using 2 spatulas or wooden spoons, carefully toss the chunks until well coated in the syrupy, spicy fat. Season, then leave to cool.
• Roll out the pastry so that the shorter sides are 30cm/12in. Lay it over the vegetables, then cut the pastry tightly around the edge of the frying pan with a small knife or scissors, discarding the trimmings (or using them for another recipe). Refrigerate the entire ensemble for at least 30 minutes (or see Getting Ahead, below).
• Preheat your oven to 220C/Gas 7/fan 200C. Brush the pastry with the egg wash, then slide the frying pan on to the middle shelf of the oven. Cook for about 25 minutes, checking halfway through that the pastry isn't browning too quickly: if it is, reduce the heat by 10 degrees. Remove when the juices are bubbling around the edges and the pastry is dark golden-brown.
• Use a thick oven cloth to remove the pan from the oven and leave it wrapped firmly around the handle to avoid burns. To serve the tart, invert a large, flat plate over the pan and tip the tart out on to it - or else, serve it straight from the pan.