Butternut Squash Tart

By Niko Michael, June 21, 2019

About Butternut Squash…

The word squash comes from Massachusetts Tribes words askuta squash meaning eaten raw or uncooked, it’s a type of squash that grows on a vine. It has a sweet, nutty taste similar to that of a pumpkin. It has tan-yellow skin and orange fleshy pulp with a compartment of seeds at the bottom. When ripe, it turns into an increasingly deep orange, and becomes sweeter and richer. It is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, Magnesium, potassium and vitamin A. Though is always referred to as a vegetable is actually a fruit, it was found in the north of Argentina in the footsteps of the Andes by the Spanish colonist, and haven’t been found to grown in any other part of the world unless carried by man. Butternut Squash is such a versatile ingredient, it can be roasted, sauted, toasted, pureed for soups such as squash soup, or mashed to be used in casseroles, breads, muffins, and pies. It can be used as a main ingredient, as a side, or as part of a dish, it’s one of those ingredients that it’s always on my shopping list, there’re many dishes you can prepare with it, this one is one of them, I’ll be posting more recipes in the upcoming days, my suggestion is to pair up this tart with a salad, I made a very simple salad, with tomatoes, red onions, avocado and corn.

for this recipe you will need….

• 1 Filo Dough pack
• 1  Butternut squash (large about 1 kilo or 2 pounds
• 7 oz creamy style corn
• 3.5 oz  Mozzarella cheese
• 2 oz Parmesan Cheese
• 5 oz  Sour cream
• Dash of salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil

Set your oven to 400 f, prepare a sheet pan and sprinkle with a bit of oil, place the squash on a cutting board and carefully cut length wise right in the middle, place the butternut squash on the sheet pan inside side up sprinkle with olive oil and cook for 40′ or until tender, it can take a little longer depending on how fat your butternut squash is, you want to be able to mash it, we are using the oven because butternut squash tends to absorb a lot of water if boil. In the meantime in a springform cake pan prepare the filo dough according to the box directions, bake the sheets until cooked but still white, keep aside. When the butternut squash is tender take out of the oven place it on the cutting board and carefully take off all the skin, but be careful, It’s really hot! In a bowl mash the butternut squash, add the corn and sour cream, salt and pepper, mix together to integrate all the ingredients. Spoon the mix on the filo dough, make use it doesn’t overflow, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese, repeat with the Parmesan cheese. Cook in the oven for 15 to 20 min. Once its done let it rest for 10′ before you take it out the pan, place it in a dish, wait another 10 min. to serve, be careful when you eat this tart, it’s going to be very hot, I usually make a salad to go with this tart:

Ingredients

2 cups cooked corn 

1-2 avocados , cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes , halved.

1/2 cup finely diced red onion.

Dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil.

1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest.

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice.

I hope you enjoy making this dish, it’s very easy and you can have it as a lunch or as a light dinner, in my house it became a hit the first time I made it, and it’s one of their favorite tarts, see you soon, God bless you all,

Georgina L.