Roasted Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Tart

photo by Annie

Oh autumn, how I love thee! Truly my favorite time of year, autumn is full of possibilities. I know that for many, autumn is a time for taking stock, hunkering down, and getting ready for the winter— literally and figuratively. There are leaves to rake, gutters to clean out, all the trappings of summer to be stashed away until next season. Not to mention mentally readying oneself for a season of cold, gloomy weather, with darkness descending at seemingly inhuman hours.

But for me, autumn is also a time of infinite potential. We haven't yet reached the shortest days of the season and though temperatures are dipping into the 30s and 40s at night here at the ranch, daytime is warm enough for a few hours at the beach or in the garden. The lazy days of summer have been swept off and children all over the Island are more active and involved. Tourist season is nearly over, and the sleepy little town I love is emerging from the hustle and frenzied pace of summer.

Autumn skies seem bluer than summer skies with a quality of light unique to the season as the sun creeps stubbornly southward. And miraculously, strange little comforts, like my lawn turning green again, and the native plants beginning to poke through the dry summer remains, rejuvenate me. Our Island is a desert isle in the truest sense, and being one not to try to conquer mother nature at every turn, I tend to let things take their seasonal course. That is, except of course for my edible garden. For that, I wage merciless battle. Alas, I lost the battle this year, so I've not late season crops to harvest. But I'm filled with anticipation for starting my winter crops: onions, garlic, and greens. I confess: Living in such a mild climate has it's advantages. Mild winters mean I can grow edibles nearly 10 months of the year.

Almost terrifying how unattractive my tart shell is, eh?  Don't worry, it was 

covered in roasted squash and onions, for a beautiful orangey disguise.

Some of my favorite foods appear in autumn as well. And while summer is too warm and free spirited for baking and ovens, autumn just begs for roasting and baking hearty root vegetables and squash. My favorite squash, above all others, is butternut squash. This recipe is for a savory tart, pairing butternut squash, roasted and pureed with sweet, rich caramelized onions. It's a tasty, surprising mingling of sweet, savory, nutty, and earthy, and sure to warm and satisfy.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Tart

Inspired by an old recipe from Gourmet Magazine, November 1998

Tart crust:

1 recipe tart or pastry dough.  I use this recipe from David Lebovitz's web site because it is crazy, ridiculously simple, and tastes wonderful.  And any pastry recipe that doesn't require rolling, I'm all over it.

Filling:

1 medium butternut squash, about 1 1/2 lb.

3 tsp. olive oil, divided

1 Tbs. unsalted butter, divided

4 springs fresh rosemary (about 1 inch long each)

1 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp rubber sage

1 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 tsp ground white pepper

1 large yellow onion

2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. butter

1 tsp balsamic or white balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs water

1 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup cream

3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/3 cup plain feta or crumbled goat cheese

1/3 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 tsp cayenne

salt and black pepper to taste

4 slices whole whet bread

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp paprika

Preheat oven to 450°.

Slice your quash in half and remove the seeds using a large spoon, scraping out any of the veiny center.  Place the sqash cut side up on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.  Using 2 Tbs. of the olive oil, drizzle oil over the squash and use fingers to coat the surface.  Divide the 1 Tbs. of butter evenly, and cut into thin pieces.  Dot the butter along the edges and in the center of the squash.  Place two sprigs of rosemary in each half and sprinkle the thyme, sage, and white pepper evenly over each half of squash.

Roast the squash in the upper third portion of the oven for about 40 minutes or until very tender when pierced with a fork.  When tender, remove from the oven and let stand until cool enough to handle.  Reduce oven temperature to 375°.

While the squash is roasting, prepare the onions as follows:

Slice onions into thin (1/8 inch) slices. In a large saute pan, heat olive oil and butter over medium-low heat. When oils are hot, add onions and cook slowly until they become very soft and the butter and oil begin to form a thick sauce on the onions. If they look slightly dry, add up tablespoon of water. Then, cover and let cook on medium-low heat until onions are soft, thick, and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure against burning.

Add about 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar about 30 seconds before removing onions from the heat. Stir well to coat and cook off any excess liquid.

When the squash is cool enough to handle, discard the rosemary sprigs and scoop the tender flesh out of the shell.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine squash, caramelized onions, egg, cream, cheeses, cayenne, and salt & pepper to taste.  Process until well blended, about 20 seconds.  The mixture will be smooth with small bits of onion and cheese visible.

To make the bread crumb topping, process the bread slices, 1/4 cup parmesan, and 1/2 tsp paprika in a food processor until it forms a course meal.  Of course, in a pinch, pre-made bread crumbs work just dandy.

Spoon the squash and onion mixture into the prepared tart crust and evenly sprinkle the breadcrumbs across the top.  Bake at 375° for 35 -40 minutes or until set.

Let cool for 5 minutes before serving to fully set.