Beetnut Tart

This tart is a conglomeration of some of my favorite things.  There is puff pastry, first of all.  Enough said there.  Then there is butternut squash.  And beets.  And feta.  And that's not even all!

Okay, gotta slow down and explain myself here.  This is a tart, with a puff pastry crust, and then it's layered with some absolutely wonderful toppings.  First is a layer of ricotta cheese, followed by an artfully-arranged layer of overlapping spinach leaves.  The recipe said to leave no ricotta exposed, and I took that very seriously.  I felt like an artist.

On top of that is some gorgeous roasted butternut squash and beets.  Chopped walnuts and feta round out the last layer, and you roll up the sides to make a sort of vegetarian galette of wonders.  Can you imagine the amazingness of this tart!?  It's sweet from the squash but super salty from the feta, and creamy and crunchy and just wonderful.  The recipe recommends serving a balsamic maple cinnamon dressing over the top, but I find that so unnecessary, I refuse to post it.  If you feel the need to dress this tart, visit the source :)  Just trust me - it's amazing on its own.

Recipe:

beetnut tart
from the Mountain Kitchen
serves 2 - 4

Ingredients:
3 cups (1 medium sized) butternut squash
3 cups (3 medium sized) beets
2 - 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 14-ounce sheet puff pastry, defrosted
1/2 cup ricotta
10 - 15 spinach leaves
1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese
egg wash- 1 egg and 2 tablespoons of water, slightly beaten

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut off ends of squash and discard.  Peel and cut in half lengthwise.  Using a spoon, remove the seeds.  Cut the squash into 1/2" - 1/4" cubes, as uniform as possible, and place them on a baking sheet.

2) Cut off the ends of the beets and peel with a veggie peeler.  Cut into 1/2" - 1/4" pieces, about the same size as the squash.  Add to the baking sheet and pour olive oil over both squash and beets.  Toss and spread out in a single layer.

3) Place the pan in the oven for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, turn the beets and squash with a spatula to be sure it browns evenly, and bake for 10 more minutes.  The beets and squash should be fork tender, but not mushy.

4) Roll out the puff pastry dough on a lightly floured surface to about 10 x 16 inches.  As long as it fits on your pan, the size is not important.  Using a knife, gently score a 1 inch border around the edge of the dough.

5) Spread ricotta evenly on pastry using the back of a spoon, leaving the 1-inch border around the edge.

6) Make sure the spinach leaves are dry.  Blot with paper towels if needed, then place individual leaves of spinach onto the ricotta, until there is no ricotta cheese exposed.

7) Add the beets and squash on top of the spinach.  Next, add the feta and walnuts.  Fold the 1 inch edge of pastry dough up over the edges of the beet and squash mixture.  Brush the dough with egg wash.

8) Bake at 400 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes, until the crust of the pastry is golden brown.