Butternut Squash + Goat Cheese Croustade

Makes 6 servings

4 cups butternut squash, sliced into cubes (about 1 small squash)
2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for serving
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 cup ricotta
3 tablespoons goat cheese, softened (divided use)
Croustade Dough (recipe follows)
6 thyme sprigs
1 egg yolk

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Toss the butternut squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sea salt and pepper and put on a large baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until browned.

Save time: Roast the butternut squash a day in advance and keep in the fridge.

Make the crust (dough recipe follows): When you’re ready to assemble the croustade, roll out the dough on a lightly floured board. The shape doesn’t matter as much as getting the thickness even—this is a rustic tart, so it doesn’t need to be perfectly round.

Whisk together the ricotta and 2 tablespoons of goat cheese, and spread this on the dough, leaving a border of about 1½ inches. Put the butternut squash on top of the ricotta/goat cheese mixture and fold over the edges. Add the rest of the goat cheese to the butternut squash. Lay the thyme sprigs on top.

Whisk together the egg yolk with a little water and brush this on the dough. Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is firm and lightly browned.

Croustade Dough

1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup rolled oats
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup butter, cold and cut in cubes
¼ cup olive oil
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Put the flours, oatmeal, sugar and salt in your food processor and pulse a time or two to combine. Add the cold cubes of butter and olive oil and pulse quickly 4 or 5 times. The mixture should look like it has pebbles scattered throughout.

Add about half of the water. Pulse a few times to combine. If you need to add more water, add a little at a time and only as much as you need. It will look crumbly yet will be moist. If you can pinch the dough together with your fingers, it’s where it needs to be.

Dump the dough out onto a floured board and gently press it together with your hands. Now flatten it into a disc, cut it in half, and wrap up half and put it in the fridge (or freezer if you’re not going to use it right away). If the dough’s too soft, put it in the fridge to rest for a half-hour before rolling it out.

Save time: Make the dough a day in advance.

Ellise Pierce

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Ellise Pierce is the Cowgirl Chef and author of COWGIRL CHEF:
Texas Cooking with a French Accent (Running Press). Read her blog
(www.cowgirlchef.com), follow her on Twitter (@cowgirlchef) and Instagram
(cowgirlchef)

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