The Last of the Honeybear Butternut Squash - In a Crostata

 I had fun growing butternut squash this summer knowing that these Honeybear squash, a smaller variant or the usual squash, would be easy to roast and enjoy. A few days ago I took the last one, which measured about 7-inches tall by 4-inches in diameter, cut off the stem, cut the rest of it in half, scooped out the seeds with a melon baller, put some foil on a baking sheet and oiled it, then put the two squash halves, cut side down onto the baking sheet and the sheet into a preheated 400 degree F oven. I baked it until tender when pierced with a knife (about 20-25 minutes? - I forgot to write it down but it was about that amount of time). After the squash had cooled enough to be handled, I peeled it and stored it in the fridge in a sealed container until I could bake with it.

Today was the day and the recipe changed from my planned calzone to an even better crostata - a freeform savory pie. I was inspired by a ravioli that I had once in a restaurant that had butternut squash stuffed ravioli swimming in a sage butter sauce. This is a little more complicated, but still pretty easy.

It's fine to use premade pie dough circles. I like the refrigerated ones and I usually roll them out a bit more so the crostata has a larger diameter. It still isn't much wider than 8" in diameter because you fold some of the dough up and over the filling before baking.

Over the rolled out dough I spread some ricotta cheese that has been mixed with herbs and spices. This is when you decide how much dough to leave for folding. I left a bit over 2-inches to fold.

Next you sprinkle on some grated Parmesan. For best results, use real Italian Parmesan cheese. It has the full flavor you want.

Next you add the butternut squash. Slice or mash it, just make sure you have a fairly even layer covering the cheese layer.

Next you add leeks that you have already washed, sliced, and cooked in a combo of butter and olive oil until soft and translucent and with a few bits lightly browned. Again, cover the prior layer as evenly as you can.

Over this goes a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese, then more grated Parmesan. The last bit is to sprinkle on some chopped Italian parsley.

Now you're ready to fold over the dough that you have left uncovered. With a small bowl of egg wash and a pastry brush handy, you fold and sort of pleat the dough. There will be a center section of about 5-6 inches uncovered where you'll see mozzarella cheese, Parmesan, and parsley bits. The egg wash will both give you a lovely golden crust and it can help the pleats and folds of dough stay folded while the crostata bakes.

Now the crostata gets transferred to an oiled baking pan (I used a pizza pan) and baked in a preheated 400 degree F oven until  golden brown, about 25 minutes. Not only will the crust bake to a golden brown, but the cheese will brown a bit too. Photo at top shows the baked crostata, ready to serve.

Now you can serve it after it cools 10-15 minutes, or you can serve it slightly warm or at room temperature. I like it slightly warm. The combination of the three cheeses, the leeks and that wonderful winter squash with a flaky crust is delectable. Enjoy the fruits of your labors!

Butternut Squash Crostata with Three Cheeses and Leeks

An Elle the Baker Recipe
Serves 6-8

1 pre-rolled refrigerated pie dough round, such as Pillsbury Readycrust

1 cup ricotta cheese - if very moist, drain for 1/2 hour in cheese cloth over a sieve
1/2 teaspoon dry rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon dry thyme
1/8 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 large or two small leeks, washed well, quartered, and sliced in thin slices
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 small baked and peeled butternut squash, about 2 cups
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 egg whisked with 1 teaspoon water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a pizza pan with olive oil or baking spray. If you have one, put a baking stone in the oven on a low rack before turning on the oven.

If cold, bring the refrigerated pie dough round to room temperature.

In a small bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, sage, Italian parsley, thyme and paprika, along with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. 

In a medium skillet, over low heat put the olive oil and butter and heat enough to melt the butter. Cook the leeks in the olive oil / butter over low heat until translucent with a few parts starting to brown, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Set aside.

To assemble the crostata, roll out the pie dough on a lightly floured clean work surface to 10 or 11 inches in diameter. (If you don't have a cake lifter or similar tool to move an 8-inch wide pastry, cut a piece of parchment or foil and place the pie dough on it. If it's foil, lightly grease it with baking spray.

Spread about 1 cup of the ricotta mixture over  the dough circle, leaving a 2-inch edge with no ricotta. This dough will be folded up and over the finished topping later. Sprinkle on 1/2 the Parmesan evenly over the ricotta. Top with the butternut squash as evenly as you can. Top with the leeks, distributing the leeks over the squash. 

Sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese and then the rest of the grated Parmesan. Sprinkle the parsley over it all.

Fold the plain outer edge of the dough over the filling, pleating and folding as needed. Use a pastry brush to coat the egg wash over the dough, including at the back of the pleats and folds. Gently push the egg-washed pleats and folds towards the rest of the dough to adhere.

Once the crostata has been filled, pleated and egg washed, check to make sure that the pre-heated oven is hot. Move the crostata to the pizza pan, either using a cake lifter or using the parchment of foil as a sling.

If you are using a baking stone, slide the pizza pan onto the stone and bake until the dough is golden brown. If you're not using a baking stone, slide the pizza pan onto the lowest oven rack and bake until the dough is golden brown.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese of the filling is beginning to brown, too.

Let cool a couple of minutes, then serve or let cool to warm or room temperature. Serve in wedges.