Savory Butternut Squash Tart

I love pumpkin pie. Love the bright cinnamon and touch of nutmeg bouncing off the pumpkin and brown sugar, but I thought I’d offer you a little something more savory, while still using a fall/winter squash that is suddenly filling our markets as the weeks click by. There are well over To break it down mathematically, did you know that anytime you add eggs and cream to a vegetable, squash, or fruit purée that is it technically a custard? Knowing this makes the birth of the recipe very very simple, because custards, especially the ones that we bake, are some of the simplest treats we can whip up.

I’ve made many a pumpkin pie and I’ve made many custards in my day and depending on the time of year, I’ve got the backside to prove it, and the two things are the most crucial to a successful custard are 1. the flavorings and 2. the technique. If you are baking your custard in a pie crust, technique is more or less a pithy aside, but when it comes to cooking your custard on the stove top, the table is turned and technique is suddenly in the driver’s seat. For today’s recipe, we will be baking our custard in a pie crust, so the focus will be on the flavorings and I am not shy in this department. This butternut squash has three layers. A layer of sautéed onions, diced ham and then the butternut squash custard.

I used a tart dough flavored with fromage blanc and rose wine for this recipe, a habit I have gotten into ever since the shrimp barquettes came into existence.

For the Dough

¾ cup + 2 tablespoons glutinous rice flour
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
¼ cup sorghum flour
½ cup arrowroot
¼ cup cornstarch
1 ½ teaspoons guar gum
¼ teaspoon fleur de sel
2 tablespoons castor sugar
1 ½ sticks unsalted cultured butter, diced

3 heaping tablespoons fromage blanc, cold
2 whole eggs
2 tablespoons rosé wine

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine all the dry ingredients. Mix on the lowest setting to amalgamate.

Add the diced butter and cream into the dry ingredients until you can no longer see any large clumps and the dough looks like damp soft soil. Add the fromage blanc and the two eggs and mix on medium speed until well combined. Finish with the wine. Mix until the dough folds in on itself and forms a soft ball.

Turn the dough out onto a very clean counter lightly dusted with glutinous rice flour and knead just until it forms a nice smooth ball. Wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

The next day, preheat oven to 400°F and roll out your dough. It should be hopelessly smooth and should smell so delicious your eyes roll into the back of your head. Line a 9″ tart mold with the dough to a 1/4″ thickness. Dock the dough and then line with lightly greased parchment paper, greased side down. Fill the paper with beans or rice. Do not use pie weights as they are too heavy and leave dents in the dough. Blind bake the tart for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden. Bake for 5-7 minutes more or until the base of the tart case is also golden.

For the Filling:

2 1/2 cups finely diced yellow onion + white onion (about one small of each)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon pure olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup diced ham-I used a ham steak here

2 1/2 cups butternut squash, roasted, pureed (see instructions below)
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 whole eggs

1 cup strained apricot preserves melted with 1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the Squash:

Peel and cube the butternut squash. Tosh in a couple of table spoons of pure olive oil and a heaping 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Place in a porceline roasting pan, cover with aluminum foil and roast at 325 degrees F for two hours or until fork tender.

While the squash is roasting, sautee the onions. In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the onions and cook until they begin to brown. Add the diced ham and cook over medium high heat until the ham begins to take on color, 3-5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Measure out 3 cups of the butternut squash and add to a food processor. Pulse to smooth. Add the milk and sour cream and again pulse until very smooth. Add the allspice, salt, pepper and light brown sugar. Pulse to combine and then add the eggs. Pulse until very smooth. The mixture should be quite thick.

Spread the onion and ham mixture over the base of the tart case first, followed by the butternut squash puree. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and bake for 45 minutes and the center of the custard is set. If the edges of the tart begins to brown too quickly, cover with an aluminum foil ring. Allow the tart to cool completely and then glaze with the melted apricot jelly and lemon juice for a glistening finish.

Serve with creme fraiche and finely chopped scallions.