Ingredients

  • Tart Shell
  • 156 ¼ grams flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons fresh sage finely chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 85 grams butter, unsalted cut into cubes
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
  • 2 tablespoons ice water
  • 1 large egg white
  • Filling
  • 55 grams cheese, parmesan Regiano grated
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • ¾ lbs. butternut squash 1/2 inch cubes
  • ⅜ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk

Directions

1. Shell: Combine flour, sage, and salt in a food processor, then add butter and shortening and pulse until coarse crumbs. Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water and pulse until just incorporated.
2. 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.
3. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375*F/190*C/GM5.
4. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 17x8inch 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.
5. Line pastry shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until sides are set and edges are pale golden. Remove foil and bake shell until bottom is pale golden. 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.
6. Reduce oven temperature to 325*F/165*C/GM3.
7. Filling: 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.
8. 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 side, 8-10 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and cool slightly.
9. 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.
10. Scatter squash evenly in tart shell and pour custard over. Bake until custard is just set and golden in patches, 30-35 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.
11. Tart can be baked 6 hours ahead and cooled completely, then kept, loosely covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature.

Notes
Serving Ideas:Makes 32 hors d'oeuvres, 16 servings


Categories
CustardsVegetarian Main courseAppetizer, hot
Keywords
CustardsVegetarian Main courseAppetizer, hot
MacGourmet downloadParmesan Custard Tart with Butternut Squash. To import, drag image to your MacGourmet recipe box.