This is one of my favorite dishes for any winter squash and is perfect for a crowd as an appetizer. You can save time using a good store-bought pizza dough for the crust. This recipe is adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison.
Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 1 pizza dough ball (or make a homemade yeasted tart dough with butter or olive oil)
● 2 lbs winter squash*, your choice
● 1 small head garlic*, cloves separated but not peeled
● 1 tablespoon butter
● 1 yellow onion*, finely chopped
● 2 tablespoons fresh sage*, chopped
● Salt and fresh pepper
● 1 egg*, beaten
● ½ cup grated or crumbled cheese* (chèvre*, sharp cheddar*, Parmesan, and Gruyere are all great)
Instructions
1. Make the yeasted tart dough, or if using a store-bought dough, bring it to room temperature in a lightly oiled bowl covered with a tea towel.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and brush surface with oil. Brush garlic cloves with oil. Turn squash upside-down on a parchment-covered sheet pan and place garlic cloves inside the cavities. Bake until fork-tender, about 40-45 minutes. Cool, scoop out the squash and garlic, and mash or puree in a food processor. Put into a bowl.
3. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat and add chopped onions and sage. Sauté until onion is soft and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Mix in with the squash and garlic, and add grated or crumbled cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Thinly roll out the dough onto a parchment-covered sheet pan and spread the squash mixture on top, leaving a border of about 2 inches. Pleat the dough over the filling and brush with beaten egg. Bake until golden about 25-30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, then cut into slices or squares and serve.
This Week’s Featured Article: The Wonderful World of Winter Squash
