Butternut squash and goats’ cheese filo pastry tart
400g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes; 1 tsp olive oil; 1 small onion, diced; 2 garlic cloves, finely grated; 10 sage leaves, roughly chopped; knob of butter; 125g filo pastry; 5 large eggs; pinch of freshly ground nutmeg; 120g soft goat’s cheese; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/
Gas 5. Fill a saucepan with 5cm of water and bring to the boil with a steamer basket and lid on top. Once the water is boiling, add the butternut squash to the steamer basket. Steam the squash for 10–12 minutes until tender all the way through, but not soft, then remove from the heat and allow the squash to steam-dry. While the squash steams, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes to soften before adding the garlic and sage. Add the squash and continue to cook for another minute, then remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.
To make the tart case, take a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin and use the knob of butter to very lightly grease the base and sides so the pastry won’t stick. Take a sheet of pastry and lay it in the tin, pressing it very carefully into the crease round the base. Leave some of the pastry hanging over the edge so you have a nice crispy crust.
Separate one of the eggs; place the white in a small cup and the yolk in a large jug. Brush the pastry with a little egg white and then layer on another sheet of pastry. Repeat until you have used all the pastry. Make sure there are no holes in the base and that you have at least four good layers.
Crack the remaining eggs into the large jug containing the yolk, and beat well. Add the squash and onion mixture along with a little freshly ground nutmeg and some seasoning. Pour the filling into the pastry case.
Break the goats’ cheese into bitesize pieces and drop them into the filling, pushing them slightly into the egg. Place the tart tin on a baking sheet and pop it into the oven for 12 minutes.
Remove the tart tin from the oven. Carefully lift the tart out of the tin and place it on a wire rack.
Pop the rack back on the baking sheet and return it to the oven for 10 minutes so the base can cook through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before slicing. You can freeze any leftovers in individual portions.