Butternut Squash and Sage Ricotta Crostata
Italians call them crostatas while the French prefer galette. No matter what you call it, it's basically a free-form pie. Whether you use homemade or premade crust for this Butternut Squash and Sage Ricotta Crostata, be prepared to love it. The best fall brunch recipe!
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 recipe of chilled pie dough can use 1 premade crust.
- 1 lb butternut squash prepackaged, cubed
- 2 T olive oil divided
- 7.5 oz whole milk ricotta can use part-skim, 1/2 of 15 oz. container
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground pepper
- 1 egg
- 4 T parmesan cheese divided
- 1 T fresh sage leaves finely chopped
- 1 small shallot peeled, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic finely minced
- 5 whole sage leaves
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves washed, dried
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 cup gruyere grated
- 1 egg
- ¼ nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°
For the Crust
- On a parchment paper covered cookie sheet, roll out pie crust to a 12" circle around 1/4" thick. Chill until filling is prepared.
For the Filling
- In a rimmed baking sheet, place the butternut squash. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 30 minutes until browned. Remove from the oven and set aside. Leave oven on.
- Meanwhile, heat a small skillet on medium. When heated, add olive oil and shallots. Saute for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Add garlic and toss for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the ricotta with 2 T of Parmesan. Add the egg, nutmeg, sage and s+p. Set aside.
Assembling the Crostata
- Remove crust from the fridge. Leave crust on parchment paper on pan.
- Using a spoon, spread an even layer of the ricotta mixture on the chilled crust, leaving about a 1 1/2" border all away around.
- Top with spinach leaves. Sprinkle with lemon juice from 1/2 of a lemon along with a little salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the butternut squash over the spinach and top with the gruyere.
- In 2-3" sections, starting folding crostata edges in working your way around the circle working counter-clockwise.
- Beat an egg in a small bowl and brush edges of the crust with the egg. Sprinkle outside edge of crust with remaining Parmesan.
- Scatter crushed red pepper on top of the gruyere.
- Bake at 400° for 40-45 minutes until the center is lightly toasted and crust is golden.
- Cool slightly and cut into wedges. Sprinkle with additional lemon and seasonings.
Notes
- For a non-vegetarian option, add 2 oz. chopped prosciutto before adding gruyere.
- Serve either warm but also SO good at room temperature!
- Garnish with toasted pinenuts for some extra crunch!
