Butternut Leek Tart

Once you get o er the fear pf crust making, you can do all kinds of tarts.  The only way I could overcome the fear was by making and making.  Crusts are not so delicate as everyone says; just keep your ingredients (and your head) cool.

All Butter Dilly Crust:

1-1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried dill weed

1 stick butter, cubed and chilled in freezer

4-6 Tbsp ice water

5 large eggs

1/4 cup sour cream

freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/8 tsp powder

1 leek, cleaned and diced

1/4 cup water plus 1 Tbsp butter

1 sweet yellow onion, peeled and sliced

1 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cups butternut squash, cubed 1/2-inch

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

dash paprika for garnish

First make the crust. Have all your ingredients at the ready.

Pulse together the flour, salt and dill weed in a food processor.  Add the very chilled butter cubes.

Pulse 8-10 times, only until you get butter pieces the size of lima beans, no smaller. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the water and pulse a few times.  Add only enough water and pulse only enough just to form a crust that will stick together when pinched.

Do not pulse enough to collect a dough ball on the blades - that’s too much mixing.

Carefully tip the crumbly dough contents onto a clean, floured surface.  Gather the dough together and form a disk - here I formed an oblong disk as I will be rolling out to a rectangle for my tart pan.

Wrap the dough disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or for several days.

Preheat oven to 400F.  While the dough rests, bring some water to the boil for the eggs.  Carefully drop in three eggs and return to a boil.  Remove from heat and allow to stand just 10 minutes.  Refresh the eggs in cold water to stop any further cooking. Set eggs aside.

Sweat the leeks with the water and butter.  Allow the leeks to cook as the water evaporates.  Stir often.

Allow the leeks to continue softening a bit in the butter - a few more minutes.  Set leeks aside in a bowl.  Now add the onions to the same skillet.  Cook them on medium-high heat in the butter and oil, stirring every so often, until they soften - about 5 minutes.

Continue cooking on low heat until they are nice and browned and caramelized, at least another 10-15 minutes.

Remove onions to the bowl with the leeks and mix well.

Toss butternut squash with the olive oil in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tip the squash onto a large rimmed baking pan and shake to distribute evenly.  Roast the butternut squash for about 30 minutes, or until browned and softened, flipping halfway through.  Remove squash to a bowl and reduce oven to 375F.

A half hour before you want to bake the tart, remove the dough from the refrigerator.  When it has softened up a bit, but is still cool to the touch, rollout to a size just larger than your tart pan - use plenty of flour, short gentle strokes, and flip the dough often to avoid sticking.

Butter the tart pan well and transfer the crust to the pan.  Press in place and pleat the top edges.

Peel the hard boiled eggs and cut into wedges.

Assemble the tart ingredients in layers - first butternut squash, then leek-onion mixture, and then the eggs.

Whisk together the remaining 2 eggs with the sour cream and nutmeg, and pour over the tart evenly.  Garnish with parmesan cheese and paprika.

Bake tart for about 20 minutes, until brown and bubbly.

Slice and serve.

Makes one tart.  Goes great with soup or salad for  an impressive lunch or light dinner.