Recipe: Savory Winter Squash & Blue Cheese Tart

Makes 12 to 14 appetizer servings or about 8 servings as a light lunch or supper

- Baker's parchment paper

- Butter or cooking spray

Walnut crust:

- 4 ounces (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

- ¼ cup sugar

- 1 egg

- 1 ¼ cups flour

- ¼ teaspoon salt

- 1/3 cup very finely chopped walnuts

- 1 tablespoon butter

- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced (about ½ cup)

- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

- 4 cups peeled winter squash, sliced into ¼-inch-thick, 1 ½-inch pieces (about 1 ½ to 2 pounds whole squash)

- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

- 1 teaspoon kosher salt

- ½ teaspoon black pepper

- 2 teaspoons very finely minced fresh rosemary

- ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

- 1 cup crumbled blue cheese (5 ounces)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9- or 10-inch springform or slip-bottom tart pan with parchment paper. Lightly butter the sides of the pan and the parchment, or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. To make the crust, in a mixing bowl, beat the butter with the sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides, then add the egg. Beat until smooth and light, about 1 minute.

3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt and walnuts, then add the flour mixture to the egg mixture in 2 parts, mixing on low until just combined but not overmixed.

4. Form the dough into a ball, then put the dough into the prepared pan and press it out evenly on the bottom and up 1 ½ inches on the sides. (If the dough is too soft to work with, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 to 20 minutes to slightly firm up.) Set aside.

5. To make the filling, heat the butter in a small sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot. Cook the shallots and garlic, moving them around well in the pan until just translucent, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Mix in the squash, nutmeg, salt, pepper, rosemary and toasted walnuts.

6. Layer ½ of the squash mixture in the dough-lined pan, sprinkle with half of the blue cheese. Then layer in the remaining half of the squash mixture and sprinkle with the remaining blue cheese.

7. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is tender. (Carefully pierce a visible piece of squash with a sharp knife to test.)

8. Cool the tart to just slightly warm or room temperature before removing the pan sides. You might want to run a knife along the sides before unmolding. (When serving, be sure that the parchment paper is not stuck to the bottom of the tart.)

9. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate for up to 2 days and re-warm before serving.

Chef's Note: I like to serve this in thin wedges as an appetizer or as a first course alongside a small salad of baby arugula tossed with a simple dressing of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. It also is fantastic served as an accompaniment to roasted pork, chicken or lamb.

©2005 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®