CSA Week 21: Butternut Squash and Apple Tart

This was our first really chilly weekend here in St. Louis. At night, lows were in the 30’s (!) with highs in the high 40’s and low 50’s. Coats were required and socks were my best friend. And though the weather was beautiful today, all I wanted to do was cuddle under a blanket and smell fall roll in.

So I did.

I did manage to get into the kitchen. Sunday is such a great day for cooking. There’s time to make more complex recipes, and time (no energy, but time nonetheless) for cleaning afterwards. Sunday lets you prepare snacks for the rest of the week, and make sure the forgotten peppers don’t go bad.

I had a few CSA items to use – this past Thursday, we received:

• butternut squash
• beets
• kale
• sweet potatoes’
• green beans
• peppers
• kohlrabi

I still have to use the kohlrabi (which I desperately need ideas for!), but the butternut squash was piling up and knowing butternuts just scream fall, today was the perfect day to get creative. Inspired by the butternut squash tart in this month’s Bon Appetit magazine, I created a tart twist:

Butternut Squash and Apple Tart

Keywords: bake appetizer side snack vegetarian Thanksgiving Halloween fall winter

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and gently roll out puff pastry sheets. Set side by side on baking sheet.

Beat 1 egg in a small bowl and brush the entire surface of puff pastry. Arrange slices of butternut squash and apple, overlapping as needed, on top of puff pastry. Leave a small border around the edge. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top of pastry, then set another large rimmed baking sheet on top (this will help cook the squash fast enough, without allowing the pastry to rise too quickly).

Bake until bottom of the pastry begins to brown and the top begins to puff, about 10 minutes. Remove the top baking sheet and discard top sheet of parchment paper. Brush/spray squash slices with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and the 2 tablespoons of sage leaves. Return the pastry, uncovered, to oven and bake until pastry is deep golden brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup honey, jalapeño, and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Boil over medium-low heat until thickened slightly and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Drizzle top of tart with honey, then sprinkle with Parmesan. Slice and add black pepper before serving.