A flavorful whole wheat crust puts a healthy spin on this earthy roasted butternut squash tart.
I’m still trying to re-set. After the holidays had their way with me, I’ve been trying to ease back into normal life. But then snow days and frigid temperatures followed and so have lazy days inside and comfort food cravings.
It doesn’t help that my younger son put together a “mommy-do list” for me consisting of mac and cheese, whoopie pies, homemade twinkies, beignets, and creme brûlée. I swear to you he eats the occasional vegetable, but clearly he has a soft spot for sweets. And who am I to argue, when it’s very likely he inherited that from me? But never fear, while I’ll happily tick items of his list, it will be a long process intermingled with spinach salads, fresh fruit, and roasted vegetables.
Because balance…right?
And speaking of balance, when I set out to make one of my favorite savory tarts over the weekend I decided to swap out the all-purpose flour in the crust for whole wheat. Full disclosure, I don’t bake with whole wheat flour as often as I should, which is a shame because I really do enjoy the flavor and the toothsomeness it brings to a pastry or a crust. But that said, you do need to consider the boldness whole wheat flour imparts when you use it and make sure that it compliments, not detracts, from your dish.
The roasted butternut squash, onion and garlic hold up well to this sturdy crust and the fresh herbs make this tart sing. Sure, there are eggs, milk and cheese in here, but real star are those caramelized vegetables. This tart is the perfect example of balance. Balance of big, bold flavors and of making healthy swaps, but not compromising on flavor.
I’m sure my struggle to bring balance back into my life will continue this month, but recipes like this definitely make it more palatable. I’ll pair a slice of this tart with a crisp, green salad for dinner and maybe save a little room for dessert. Because, c’mon… homemade twinkies. That’s balance right?
Let’s make a Butternut Squash Tart
- Combine the flour, parmesan, pepper, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to mix. Add the cold, chopped butter and pulse.
- Add the sour cream and pulse several times until incorporated.
- Pour in the ice water and pulse a few more times just until a ball begins to form. Be careful not to overmix. Wrap and chill.
- Scatter squash, onions, and garlic on a sheet tray and roast until soft and caramelized.
- Cool the roasted veg to room temperate and mash the garlic.
- Whisk together the eggs, sour cream, half and half, parmesan, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix in the cheddar cheese and roasted garlic.
- Roll out the dough between lightly floured pieces of wax paper, carefully turning and lightly flouring it to prevent sticking.
- Lay it into a 9″ inch tart pan or pie plate, trimming the edges. Reserve the scraps to cut into decorative shapes if desired.
- Scatter the butternut squash and onions in the tart.
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Pour the egg mixture over the top and bake for about 35 mins until set and golden brown. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips for success
- Start with super cold ingredients for the crust and don’t over-process or mix. Bring the dough together on the counter and chill well before rolling.
- Lightly floured wax paper is ideal for rolling out dough. Think dust with flour, roll, flip, repeat.
- Don’t throw away the dough scraps! Re-roll them and use mini cookie cutters to cut out cute shapes (like the snowflakes pictured here).
- This tart is delicious straight out of the oven or served at room temperature. Store the leftovers in the refrigerator and re-warm in the oven or toaster oven to preserve the crispiness of the crust.
- Think of the whole wheat crust as another flavor element in this recipe – it brings an almost savory graham cracker taste to the dish.
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour flour
- 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4 oz unsalted butter, very cold and diced (8 Tbsp)
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp ice water
- 1 1/2 lb butternut squash
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup half and half
- 1/4 grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp sage, minced
- 1 tsp thyme, minced
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 4 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)
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Combine the flour, parmesan, pepper, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to mix.
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Add the cold, chopped butter and pulse about 10 -12 times until the butter is cut into the flour mixture and it's pea size.
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Add the sour cream and pulse several times until incorporated. Pour in the ice water and pulse a few more times just until a ball begins to form. Be careful not to overmix. The dough should not be completely blended, it will come together on the counter.
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Scrape dough onto the counter and form into a flat disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight. Alternatively, dough may be made by hand.
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a sheet pan with nonstick foil.
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Peel the squash, scoop out the seeds, and cut into a 1 inch dice. Scatter the squash on the lined sheet pan.
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Cut the onion in half from root to tip and peel. Cut into thin half moons and scatter over the squash.
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Cut the ends off of the garlic and place on the sheet pan. Drizzle the vegetables with the olive oil and toss until evenly coated. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
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Roast until golden brown, about 30 mins. Remove the roasted garlic from it's skin and mash.
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While the vegetables roast, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, half and half, parmesan, sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Mix in the cheddar cheese and roasted garlic.
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Reduce the temperature in the oven to 375 degrees and remove the dough from the refrigerator. Allow it warm up just until it's soft enough to roll out.
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Roll out the dough between lightly floured pieces of wax paper, carefully turning and lightly flouring it to prevent sticking. Lay it into a 9" inch tart pan or pie plate, trimming the edges. The scraps can be rolled out and cut into decorative shapes (like these snowflakes) if desired.
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Scatter the butternut squash and onions into the tart pan over the crust and pour the egg mixture over the top.
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Bake for about 35 mins until set and golden brown. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
*Tart dough can also be frozen for several weeks. Defrost in refrigerator before proceeding.
- Start with super cold ingredients for the crust and don't over-process or mix. Bring the dough together on the counter and chill well before rolling.
- Lightly floured wax paper is ideal for rolling out dough. Think dust with flour, roll, flip, repeat.
- Don't throw away the dough scraps! Re-roll them and use mini cookie cutters to cut out cute shapes (like the snowflakes pictured here).
- This tart is delicious straight out of the oven or served at room temperature. Store the leftovers in the refrigerator and re-warm in the oven or toaster oven to preserve the crispiness of the crust.
- Think of the whole wheat crust as another flavor element in this recipe - it brings an almost savory graham cracker taste to the dish.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in January 2018 but was republished with step-by-step photos and tips in January 2019.
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