Parmesan Custard Tart With Butternut Squash Food

PARMESAN CUSTARD TART WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Make shell:
• Combine flour, sage, and salt in a food processor, then add butter and shortening and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons ice water and pulse until just incorporated.
• Squeeze a small handful of dough: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until just incorporated, then test again. (Do not overwork, or pastry will be tough.)
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough into a ball with scraper, then flatten into a 5-inch square. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 17- by 8-inch rectangle and fit into tart pan. Trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold overhang inward and press against side of pan to reinforce edge. Lightly prick bottom and sides of shell all over with a fork. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Line pastry shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until sides are set and edges are pale golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and bake shell until bottom is pale golden, 10 to 15 minutes more. Lightly brush bottom and sides of shell with egg white and continue to bake until dry and shiny, about 5 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack, about 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• Make filling while shell bakes:
• Bring cheese and cream just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and steep, covered, 30 minutes. Pour steeped cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on cheese solids and then discarding them.
• While cream steeps, heat oil in a 10-inch heavy nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté squash with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, turning, until lightly browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and cool slightly.
• Whisk together whole egg, yolk, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a bowl until combined. Add steeped cream, whisking until smooth.
• Fill and bake tart:
• Scatter squash evenly in tart shell and pour custard over. Bake until custard is just set and golden in patches, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool tart in pan on rack at least 20 minutes.
• Halve tart crosswise, then cut in half lengthwise and cut each quarter into 8 pieces. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• *Available at some cookware shops and Fante's Kitchen Wares Shop (fantes.com).

BUTTERNUT SQUASH-SPINACH TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: Combine the olive oil and water in a measuring cup. Pulse the flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor. With the machine running, add the olive oil mixture and pulse until the dough clumps together, adding up to 1 more tablespoon water if needed. Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap; press into a disk and wrap. Let sit at room temperature while you make the filling.
• Make the filling: Wrap the squash in a kitchen towel and wring out as much liquid as possible; transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with the spinach and add to the squash; stir to break up any clumps. Add the ricotta, fontina, parmesan, half-and-half, scallions, parsley, 2 eggs, the nutmeg, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper; mix until combined.
• Position a rack in the bottom of the oven; preheat to 375 degrees F. Brush a quarter sheet pan or 9-by-13-inch straight-sided baking pan with olive oil. Cut off one-quarter of the dough; set aside. Roll out the remaining dough into an 11-by-15-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Trim the edges with a fluted cutter or a knife and ease into the pan. Spread the filling over the dough.
• Roll out the reserved dough into a 6-by-12-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Cut lengthwise into 10 strips with the fluted cutter; arrange in a lattice pattern over the filling, trimming as needed. Fold in the overhanging edges. Beat the remaining egg with a pinch of salt and brush on the crust. Bake until the crust is golden and the filling is set, about 50 minutes. Let cool on a rack 30 minutes before cutting.

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.

PARMESAN BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Place squash and water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, covered, on high 15-17 minutes or until tender; drain., Preheat broiler. Transfer squash to a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Toss bread crumbs with cheese, salt and pepper; sprinkle over squash. Broil 3-4 in. from heat 1-2 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CARAMELIZED ONION TART

Steps:

• Using a prepared pie crust or your favorite crust recipe. On a lightly floured surface roll out dough into a 12-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick).
• Fit dough into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim.
• Freeze shell 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice.
• Bake shell in middle of oven until edge is pale golden, about 20 minutes.
• Carefully remove foil and weights or rice and bake shell 10 minutes more, or until bottom is golden.
• Leave oven on.
• Cool shell in pan on a rack.
• Halve squash and scoop out seeds.
• Lightly brush each cut side with about 1 teaspoon oil and on a baking sheet roast squash, cut sides down, in middle of oven 40 minutes, or until soft.
• While squash is roasting, thinly slice onion and in a heavy skillet cook in 1/2 tablespoon butter and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Cool squash and scoop out flesh.
• In a food processor purée squash.
• Add whole egg, egg yolk, and cream and blend well.
• Transfer mixture to a large bowl and stir in cheeses, herbs, onion, salt, and pepper to taste.
• Pour filling into shell, smoothing top.
• In a small skillet melt remaining tablespoon butter and stir in bread crumbs until combined well.
• Sprinkle bread crumb mixture evenly over filling.
• Bake tart in middle of oven 40 minutes, or until filling is set.
• Cool tart in pan on rack 10 minutes and carefully remove rim.

CREAMY CHARD, SQUASH & PARMESAN TART

Steps:

• An hour before making the pastry, wrap the butter and chill in the freezer until firm. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip the flour into a large bowl with the salt, stir, then unwrap the end of the chilled butter and coarsely grate into the seasoned flour. Stir everything together using a cutlery knife, then swiftly add 8-10 tbsp ice-cold water, a little at a time, stirring until it starts to clump together. Form into a disc with your hands, adding a little more water if the pastry feels dry. Wrap and chill for 1 hr. At this stage, the pastry will keep frozen for two months.
• Toss the squash with 1 tbsp oil, most of the thyme leaves and seasoning. Arrange on a baking sheet and roast for 15 mins. Heat the rest of the oil and the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the shallots with a pinch of salt for 15 mins until caramelised. Add the sugar and vinegar, and cook for 3 mins more. Season, then leave to cool slightly.
• Steam the chard leaves in a steamer basket for 3 mins. Tip into a tea towel and squeeze out the excess water. Roughly chop, then mix with two-thirds of the hard cheese and the mascarpone. Season.
• Put a baking sheet in the oven to heat up. Roll the pastry out between two sheets of baking parchment to a 40 x 30cm rectangle. Transfer to a baking tray on its parchment, then peel off the top layer. Spoon over the shallots, leaving a 3cm border. Top with the chard mixture, the rest of the cheese and the squash. Fold the pastry border slightly over the edge of the filling, then brush with the egg wash. Chill for 1 hr. Slide the tray onto the hot baking sheet and bake for 35-40 mins. Scatter over the remaining thyme and the hazelnuts. Serve with a chicory salad.

PARMESAN BUTTERNUT SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 and spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Peel, halve lengthwise and seed squash. Cut into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange with slices overlapping slightly in bottom of baking dish.
• Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Add garlic and cook 2-3 minutes stirring frequently - do not let garlic or butter brown.
• In a small bowl, mix bread crumbs, cheese and 1 T. of the butter-garlic mixture.
• Brush squash slices with remaining butter-garlic mixture. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and bread crumb mixture.
• Bake, uncovered, 30-40 minutes or until squash is tender when pierced with fork. Increase oven temperature to 425 and bake 5-10 minutes longer until browned.
• Sprinkle with parsley.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH CUSTARD

Steps:

• Place squash in a large saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until tender, 8-10 minutes. Drain., In a large bowl, mash the squash with flour and sugar until blended; beat in the milk, eggs and butter. Pour into an ungreased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients., Bake at 350° until center appears set, 55-65 minutes.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH PASTA WITH BACON AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 degrees.
• Add the butternut squash to a large baking sheet. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over the top and season with red-pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Toss to combine, then spread the squash into an even layer and bake for 15 minutes.
• While the butternut squash bakes, in a small bowl, toss the red onion with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• After the squash has cooked for 15 minutes, give it a stir and push it to one side of the baking sheet to make room for the onion and bacon, trying to keep the squash in one layer. Add the red onion to the pan, then lay the strips of bacon in a single layer next to the onion.
• Return the baking sheet to the oven for another 30 minutes and cook, stirring the squash and onion after about 15 minute. The bacon should be crisp and the vegetables cooked through and beginning to caramelize at the edges. (They don't have to be super golden brown, but a little color is nice.)
• Just before the vegetables and bacon are done, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot to keep warm if necessary.
• When the vegetables are tender and the bacon crispy, take the baking sheet out of the oven and carefully transfer the bacon to a cutting board. Coarsely chop the bacon.
• Add the butternut squash, onions and any bacon fat to the pot with the pasta. Add about 1/2 cup Parmesan and 1/2 cup pasta water to the pot and stir everything until well combined. You want the squash to break down a bit and coat the pasta; add more pasta water as necessary to coat the pasta with the squash and cheese.
• Stir in half the chopped bacon, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the pasta among bowls or plates. Top with chives, parsley, black pepper and the remaining Parmesan and bacon. Serve immediately.