How to make Leiths' butternut squash, sage and parmesan tart

This savoury tart is rather moreish and works well washed down with a glass or two of champagne

For the pastry

Makes enough to line a 24cm flan ring

250g plain four
Pinch of salt
140g chilled butter
2 egg yolks
3-4 tbsp chilled water

For the filling

1 small butternut squash (or half a large one)
1 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
125ml double cream
100g parmesan cheese, grated
Handful fresh sage leaves (about 5g) chopped

It’s Pac-Man! Getting this perfect a result requires diligence (The Independent)

Preheat the oven to 180C. Cut the small butternut squash in half, lengthways, and place it cut-side up on a baking tray. Sprinkle over the olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a knife slides into the flesh with no resistance. Remove from the oven and, using a spoon, scoop out the flesh, discarding the skin. Using a potato ricer or a masher, mash the butternut until smooth. Set aside to cool.

Also, make the pastry. Put the flour, diced butter and salt into a food processor and use the pulse button to make sure that you don’t overmix it. Pulse until the butter’s broken down and the mixture has become a uniform fine, pale crumb with no visible lumps of butter.

Mix the egg yolks and water together in a small bowl with a fork until evenly combined. Add 2-2½ tbsp of the yolk mixture to the crumb and blitz a couple of times to combine and create flakes of pastry. Pull some of the flakes to the side and feel them; if they are very dry, add a little more of the liquid to any dry areas of crumb. Don’t be tempted to add too much liquid, as it can make the pastry tough.

Remove the dough from the processor and gently bring it together on a work surface, without kneading. Squash into a flat disc, wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge to rest for 20-30 minutes. To make the filling, lightly beat together the whole eggs, yolks, cream, grated parmesan and the pureed butternut squash. Season well then add the chopped sage, stirring well to combine.

When the pastry has rested, roll it out on a floured surface to a thickness of about 2mm (roughly the thickness of a pound coin). Use the 24cm flan ring as a guide to cut a disc of pastry, leaving an extra inch and a half to make allowances for the height of the tin. Press the disc of pastry into the ring, using a piece of the excess to push it well into the corners. Roll your rolling pin over the top of the ring to cut any overhanging pastry away from the perimeter of the pasty case. Then work your way around the edge of the tin with your thumbnail to release the pastry a little from the flan ring.

The pastry is now ready to be baked blind. To do this, place a disc of greaseproof paper, large enough to cover the pastry, into the case. Fill the pastry case with baking beans, transfer to the upper third of the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, after which time the pastry should be cooked but not browned. Remove the paper and the beans and return to a lower shelf of the oven for another 5 minutes, or until the base of the pastry looks dry and feels sandy to touch, but has not taken on any colour. Remove and let it cool slightly.

Turn the oven down to 150C. Place the tart shell on a baking sheet and fill it using a spoon or whatever feels most comfortable, taking care not to let the filling overflow. Return the filled tart to the oven and bake for 45 minutes, until just set. Serve warm or at room temperature, preferably with a glass of champagne.

To book on to Leiths’ pastry course, visit leiths.com/courses/essential-professional-patisserie-skills-1