Food Recipes Appetizers Savory Tart & Pastry Winter Squash-and-Shallot Tart Be the first to rate & review! This elegant tart is just the thing to serve for dinner on a chilly night. The rich, cheesy filling is packed with sweet cubes of butternut squash and savory shallots, and lightened by the acidity of the sherry vinegar and brightness of the lemon zest. A peppery arugula salad tops it off. By Robby Melvin Robby Melvin Robby Melvin is the test kitchen director at Southern Living magazine and senior recipe developer/tester for Time, Inc. Food Studios in Birmingham, Alabama. A professional chef, he can be seen demonstrating his culinary know-how on Southern Living’s YouTube cooking videos. Melvin has been responsible for developing and testing recipes at the iconic Southern publication for nearly a decade. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on October 12, 2021 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas Active Time: 45 mins Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Servings: 8 Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 4 cups 1/2-inch peeled butternut squash cubes (from 1 medium [2-pound] squash) 8 small (8 ounces total) shallots, peeled, root ends trimmed, and halved 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 ¾ teaspoons, plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided ¾ teaspoon black pepper, divided 1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed (from 1 [17.3-ounce] pkg.) 3 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cup) 3 ounces Fontina cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cup) 2 large egg yolks ¼ cup crème fraîche 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 1 teaspoon fresh juice, divided (from 1 lemon) 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar 1 cup loosely packed baby arugula (about 1/2 ounce) Directions Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss together squash, shallots, oil, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper in a large bowl. Spread mixture in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Let coo1 15 minutes. While vegetables cool, roll pastry sheet into a 16- x 10-inch rectangle on a large piece of parchment paper. Carefully transfer parchment paper with pastry rectangle to a large baking sheet. (If needed, re-stretch pastry rectangle.) Using a paring knife, score a 1-inch border around edges of pastry rectangle; prick area inside border with a fork. Bake at 400°F until light golden, about 12 minutes; remove from oven. Stir together Gruyère, Fontina, egg yolks, crème fraîche, lemon zest, thyme, vinegar, squash mixture, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Gently spread mixture inside border of baked pastry rectangle. Return to oven, and bake at 400°F until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown, about 12 minutes. Toss together arugula, lemon juice, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt; sprinkle over top of tart. Cut tart into about 4- x 3 1/2-inch pieces, and serve immediately. Rate It Print