Squash Tart with Warm Spices

📝 Ingredients

• 1 sheet shortcrust pastry (about 230 g)
• 500 g butternut squash flesh (about 1 small squash)
• 3 eggs
• 200 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 90 g soft brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon + ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch of salt

🍴 Utensils

• Tart tin (24 to 26 cm)
• Steamer or saucepan with a steamer basket
• Stick blender
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Peeler

📖 Steps

1. Cut the squash in half lengthways, scoop out the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon, then peel it with a sturdy vegetable peeler. Cut 500 g of the flesh into 3 cm cubes: evenly sized pieces all cook at the same rate.
2. Steam the cubes for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tip of a knife slides in with no resistance. Then leave them to drain for 10 minutes in the steamer basket, off the heat, otherwise the filling will be too runny and the pastry soggy.
3. While the squash is cooking, preheat the oven to 190 °C. Unroll the pastry into the tin with its baking paper, prick the base all over with a fork and blind-bake for 10 minutes: it should barely colour. If it puffs up, flatten it with the back of a fork.
4. Blend the still-warm squash with the stick blender in the mixing bowl until you have a perfectly smooth purée. Add the brown sugar, cornflour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt, then blend for another 30 seconds.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each, then gradually pour in the milk, whisking constantly. The filling should be smooth and fluid, with the consistency of a thick cream that coats the spoon.
6. Lower the oven to 170 °C. Pour the filling into the pre-baked tart case and smooth with the back of a spoon. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the edges are set and the centre still wobbles slightly when you shake the tin.
7. Leave the tart to cool in the tin for at least 1 hour, then 1 hour in the fridge: the filling finishes setting as it cools. Cut too early, it will collapse. Serve chilled or at room temperature.