“You’re like a squirrel,” P. teased when he saw me add a plump orange winter squash to the large vegetable basket on the counter, which already held three or four others.
“I know!” I replied, feeling a little foolish for buying another red kuri squash. “I’m just afraid I won’t find one like this again.”
I tend to choose organic squashes so I can leave the skin on when cooking if I like.
On Saturday I made a soufflé au potimarron (Hokkaido squash soufflé). It rose beautifully and turned a perfect golden color. P. and I nearly polished off the whole dish between the two of us, even though the recipe serves four. “It tastes like flavored snow,” I laughed as I helped myself to another spoonful. “I can’t believe we finished it all.”
“It must have been bébé’s share!” P. joked.
I’ll have to make another soon and be quick with the photos so I can share it properly.
“Maybe I could make one for your parents when they come for Thanksgiving?” I asked. “Do you think they’d like a soufflé?”
“Who doesn’t like soufflé?”
One evening last week I baked this Hokkaido squash tart because P. and I would be out late. “It will reheat well,” I said in the car on the way to our birth class. Preparing for bébé has meant planning meals that are nourishing and easy to reheat—not that we ever need an excuse to cook.
The winter squash season is thankfully still going strong, and the holidays are approaching quickly. Are you already preparing festive foods? I’m planning red kuri lasagna for tomorrow night and a cake and an appetizer for our festive dinner later in the week. I can’t wait to get started. For now, though, we still need simple, nourishing meals to keep us going.
This vegetable tart is a great example of a comforting yet light autumn meal: easy to prepare and full of flavor. It’s ideal in the days leading up to larger holiday feasts, especially for those celebrating Thanksgiving.
My family in France always asks what we’ll be eating. “Vous mangerez quoi ?” my mother and sister-in-law ask with curious delight. Our conversations are often centered on food—it runs in the family.
“Lots of winter squash, for sure.”
I’m not complaining; I love it. Next time I should bake a proper pumpkin pie for them—they must try it.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, if we don’t speak before then!
(For a 9″ tart)
Ingredients:
- Pastry, with or without gluten (gluten-free option: 1/2 cup sweet rice flour; 1/3 cup quinoa flour; 1/3 cup quinoa flakes; 1/4 cup amaranth flour; 7 Tbsp butter; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 Tbsp poppy seeds; 5–6 Tbsp cold water)
- 14 oz cleaned Hokkaido or acorn squash (seeds removed, skin left on), diced
- 3.5 oz cleaned celeriac, diced
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 1/2 cup grated hard cheese (cheddar or similar)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- Salt and pepper
- Chopped parsley
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter a 9″ tart tin.
- Roll out the dough, line the tin, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Steam the celeriac and squash for about 20 minutes, until fork-tender.
- Pass the cooked vegetables through a food mill or mash until smooth.
- In a bowl, beat the eggs with the ricotta. Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and half the grated cheese.
- Fold the egg-ricotta mixture into the squash-celeriac purée until smooth.
- Pour the filling into the chilled pastry. Arrange the sliced onions and tomatoes on top.
- Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.
- Bake 30–35 minutes, until the tart is golden. Serve warm with a mixed green salad.
Ingrédients :
- Pâte brisée avec ou sans gluten (sans gluten : 80 g de farine de riz gluant ; 60 g de farine de quinoa ; 30 g de flocons de quinoa ; 25 g de farine d’amarante ; 100 g de beurre ; 1/2 càc de sel ; 1 càs de graines de pavot ; 5–6 càs d’eau froide)
- 400 g de potimarron lavé et coupé en gros dés (laisser la peau et retirer les graines)
- 100 g de céleri rave pelé et coupé en gros dés
- 1 oignon jaune ou rouge, émincé
- 125 g de ricotta entière
- 2 tomates, coupées en tranches fines
- 50 g de fromage râpé (Comté, cheddar ou similaire)
- 2 œufs, légèrement battus
- Sel, poivre
- Persil frais, haché
Étapes :
- Préchauffer le four à 200 °C.
- Étaler la pâte, foncer un moule et piquer le fond. Mettre au frais 30 minutes.
- Cuire le potimarron et le céleri à la vapeur environ 20 minutes, jusqu’à ce qu’ils soient tendres.
- Passer les légumes au presse-purée ou les mixer pour obtenir une purée lisse.
- Dans un bol, battre les œufs avec la ricotta. Ajouter 1 càs de persil haché et la moitié du fromage râpé.
- Incorporer la purée de potimarron et céleri et mélanger.
- Verser la préparation sur la pâte et garnir de tranches d’oignon et de tomate.
- Assaisonner, répartir le reste du fromage râpé et cuire 30–35 minutes, jusqu’à ce que le dessus soit doré.
- Servir tiède avec une salade de jeunes pousses.