Make-ahead butternut squash in tart form
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.
Ÿ J.M. Hirsch is the food editor for The Associated Press. He blogs atLunchBoxBlues.com and tweets @JM—Hirsch. Write him at jhirsch@ap.org.