Upside Down Butternut Squash Tart 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.

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.

SHAVED VEGETABLE TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Roll out the pizza dough to a 10-by-15-inch rectangle on a piece of parchment. Transfer the parchment to a turned-over baking sheet and bake until crisp and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, use a mandoline to slice the cucumber and radish paper thin. Toss them in a small bowl with 1 teaspoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix together the cream cheese, garlic, herbs and yogurt in a medium bowl.
• Transfer the crust to a serving platter or cutting board and spread with the cheese mixture, leaving a 1/4-inch border all around. Arrange the vegetables in a slightly-overlapping single layer. Drizzle with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and sprinkle with the poppy seeds. Slice into squares and serve at room temperature.

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.