Much as I love butternut squash — and firmly believe it belongs on the Thanksgiving table — I’ve grown bored with the ways it typically shows up.
Too often, the squash is cut into chunks, then either seasoned and roasted or steamed and mashed. And while both approaches can be delicious, they get tedious year after year. They also don’t do the squash justice. Face it, a bowl of mashed squash will always be a runner up to mashed potatoes. And of the many roasted dishes that land on the table, squash isn’t the one most people will reach for.
So I decided to reinvent the Thanksgiving squash dish. I wanted something with a bit of backbone. Something that stood out and didn’t resemble every other — or any other — dish on the table.
What I came up with is a simple, savory squash tart. Not only is it easy to make, it even can be prepared ahead of time (saving valuable oven space on the big day), then briefly reheated just before serving.
SAVORY BUTTERNUT SQUASH TART
Start to finish: 45 minutes (15 minutes active)
Makes 8 servings
9-inch prepared (rolled) pie crust
1 3/4 pounds peeled and cubed (about 1/2-inch cubes) butternut squash
3 eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Nutrition information per serving: 220 calories; 90 calories from fat (41 percent of total calories); 10 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 75 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 6 g protein; 430 mg sodium.
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