Pumpkin And Fennel Pastries Recipes

Steps:

• Chop 1/2 cup fennel fronds and reserve, then remove stalks and tough outer layer from bulb. Halve bulb and grate on large holes of a 4-sided grater.
• Heat 1/3 cup olive oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté onion, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add pumpkin and grated fennel and cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any brown bits, until vegetables are soft, about 12 minutes. Stir in bulgur and chile flakes and cook 2 minutes. Add fennel fronds and mint, then remove from heat and cover. Let stand 15 minutes. Stir in cheeses and season with salt and black pepper.
• Keeping remaining sheets covered, brush 1 spring-roll sheet lightly with some safflower oil and place a scant 2 tablespoons filling 1 inch from edge closest to you. Form filling into a log, leaving a 1/2-inch border on each side. Fold bottom of sheet over filling, then fold in sides. Loosely roll away from you to form a cylinder, brush top edge with egg white, and press to seal. Bend cylinder into a horseshoe shape. Make more pastries in same manner.
• Heat enough safflower and olive oils to measure 3/4 inch in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until a deep-fat thermometer registers 350°F. Fry pastries 2 or 3 at a time, turning once, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and return oils to 350°F between batches. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Peel the squash, then halve and deseed it before cutting the flesh into thick wedges and halving them again to make quarters. Put the slices in a roasting tin with half the olive oil, the nutmeg and seasoning, and toss to coat. Roast for 30 mins, or until tender and a little caramelised.
• Halve the fennel bulbs lengthways and remove the tops and tough outer leaves from each piece. Trim the base and cut each half into thick wedges, keeping them intact at the base. Put the wedges straight into a bowl and toss with the lemon juice to prevent discolouring. Add the fennel seeds, remaining olive oil and some seasoning, then toss well. Spread the fennel in a roasting tin large enough to hold it in a single layer and cover with foil. Roast the fennel (at the same time as the squash) for 20 mins, or until tender with pale -gold undersides.
• Wash the spinach and cook in a covered pan over a medium heat for 1-2 mins. When wilted, drain in a colander and leave to cool. Squeeze the excess moisture out of the spinach, chop roughly and season. Melt the butter in a frying pan and quickly fry the spinach with the garlic for 3 mins. Set aside.
• Roll out the pastry to make the base of the tart, ending up with a piece measuring roughly 28 x 38cm. Put the pastry base on to a floured metal baking sheet. Create a border all the way round by lightly running a knife 2cm from the edge. Prick the rest of the pastry all over with a fork. Put a rectangle of baking parchment, the size of the inside of the border, over the pastry. Weight it down with baking beans. Knock up the sides of the pastry by holding a small knife at a right angle to the pastry and making small indentations to release the layers. This will give you a better rise. Paint the border with the egg wash.
• Put the pastry in the preheated oven and cook for 25 mins, removing the beans and paper after 15 mins. Take the partially cooked tart base out of the oven and, if the centre has risen, gently flatten it with the back of a wooden spoon. Turn the oven up to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Spoon the spinach onto the pastry, then put the squash and fennel on top. Distribute the cheese over the top, too. Put the tart back into the oven and cook for a further 25 mins. The cheese should be golden in patches and the pastry should be cooked and golden, but not too dark.