Winter Squash & Sage Ricotta Tarts

 

Inspired by an item in the Starbucks bakery section (that I ironically did not even taste…), these tarts emanate the fall season!  I used acorn squash because we had it on hand, but in hindsight I think butternut squash, pumpkin, or sweet potato would be better as they tend to have a bolder flavor. Enjoy for brunch or while on a picnic!

Ingredients:

·         1 lb. butternut squash, sugar pumpkin, or sweet potato (peeled, seeds removed, and cut into bite-sized cubes)

·         1/4 cup loosely packed fresh sage leaves, shredded

·         1/2 medium sized red onion, thinly sliced

·         8/10 baby bella mushrooms, sliced

·         balsamic vinegar

·         1/2 cup ricotta

·         1/4 cup goat cheese

·         1 sheet ready-made puff pastry dough

·         1 egg (or Egg substitute)

·         flour, for dusting

·         salt & pepper

 

Directions:

1.    Remove puff pastry from the fridge. Place on counter and cover with towel. Allow dough to come to room temperature as you prepare remaining tart components (this will take about 40-45 minutes, but longer is fine).

2.    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

3.    Peel, remove seeds, and cube squash.  Place in a medium-sized bowl with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.

4.    Shred sage leaves. Add 3/4 of the sage to the bowl with the squash and oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

5.    Place seasoned squash on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, to prevent sticking. Roast in the heated oven until squash is slightly under cooked. It should have some give when poked with a fork, but be careful not to cook thoroughly, as it will continue to cook while pastry dough is baking. When squash is ready, remove from oven and allow to return to room temperature.

6.    Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.

7.    Meanwhile, very lightly sauté onions and mushrooms with a splash of balsamic as a faux carmelization. Season lightly with salt and pepper. These veggies also will continue to cook in oven while pastry dough is baking, so again be careful not to over-do it here.

8.    In a small bowl, combine remaining sage, ricotta, and goat cheese. Mix with a fork until thoroughly combined.

9.    Lightly flour a table or countertop as a surface for working with pastry dough. Diving dough into 6 equal sized rectangles. Roll dough a bit thinner with a rolling pin or side of an aluminum can.

10. Lightly grease an air-bake baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place pastries on baking sheet. Poke each tart with a fork multiple times in the middle where you will be placing cheese and veggies. This will allow air to escape and prevent dough from puffing up underneath your other ingredients.

11. Assemble tarts. First, spread on a thin layer of the cheese and sage mixture in the middle, leaving about a centimeter border around all the edges. Next, arrange carmelized onions and mushrooms on top of the cheese. Finally, top with squash cubes.

12. Create egg wash by beating the egg in a small bowl. Use a paintbrush to spread egg wash around the edges of the tarts. This will help with brown the dough to get a nice crispiness.

13. Pinch the edges of the dough inward to form a crust-like outer rim (sort of like pizza).

14. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and cooked through. Serve warm or allow to cool and eat at room temperature. If saving, store in an air-tight container in the fridge.