You have to try this easy and delicious delicata squash tart with puff pastry, pear and candied walnuts!
I love delicata squash because to me it is easy to work with and the flavor is absolutely delicious! I like to buy a few extra so I have leftovers and I can either make pasta , gnocchi , or this tart recipe. You can substitute any squash or sweet potato, for that matter, in place of the delicata if you can't find any in your local area. It is easy to bake the squash in the baking dish
I decided to add some pear and candied walnuts to round out the recipe which gave some texture and depth of flavor. I ended with fresh thyme and aged balsamic vinegar to bring everything together. This was a huge hit with the guests. Here is the delicata squash tart with puff pastry recipe, I hope you enjoy it!
Delicata Squash Tart with Pear and Walnuts
Delicata Tart
- 2 whole delicata squash (cut in half lenghtwise )
- 1/2 cup fresh ricotta
- 1 oz parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (plus more)
- 1 tsp salt (and pepper to taste)
- 2 sheets puff pastry
- 2 whole bartlet pears (peeled and sliced)
- 1/4 cup candied walnuts
- 2 tbsp aged balsamic (or glaze )
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 whole egg ((for egg wash))
How to roast delicata squash
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Cut delicata squash in half, de-seed, and place on a sheet pan or baking dish lined with parchment paper. Drizzle each squash with olive oil season with salt and fresh thyme. Place 2 cloves of garlic in the cavity. Flip over the squash and place in a 375 degree oven. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until tender all the way through. Take out and allow the squash to cool slightly.
For the squash filling
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Place roasted delicata squash, ricotta, parmesan cheese, and thyme, into food processor along with salt and pepper. Puree until the mixture is completely smooth. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up the filling slightly.
To make the tarts
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Take your puff pastry sheets and cut them into 6 even squares so you could potentially have 12 if you do both sheets of puff pastry. Place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Take a small ice cream scoop and Place 1 scoop of squash mixture in the middle of each puff pastry square. Take the peeled and sliced pears and place on top of the squash mixture pushing down slightly. Repeat with remaining tart squares.
In a small bowl beat one egg and brush the outer edges of the 12 squares of puff pastry. Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and pastry has been cooked through. Take out and cool. Finish with fresh thyme, candied walnuts, and a drizzle of balsamic. Serve and enjoy!
