Winter Squash Puff Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425˚. Brush a 24-cup mini-muffin pan (preferably nonstick) with olive oil. Evenly sprinkle the sugar on the bottom of each cup. Unfold the puff pastry on a work surface and cut into 24 equal squares with a sharp knife.
• Toss the squash with the olive oil, rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a bowl. Place 1 piece in each muffin cup (it's OK if some of the squash pieces extend above the top of the cups). Press about 1/2 teaspoon cheese on top of each squash cube. Cover each with a piece of puff pastry, tucking the edges into the muffin cups.
• Bake until the pastry is golden and puffed, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then remove from the pan. Serve squash-side up.

Steps:

• Generously butter a 2-quart shallow ceramic or glass baking dish.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
• Melt butter (3 tablespoons) in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until foam subsides, then add flour and cook roux, whisking, 2 minutes. Add milk in a slow stream and boil, whisking, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Whisk in squash, cheese, brown sugar, salt, cayenne, and nutmeg until combined (mixture may not be completely smooth), then transfer to a large bowl and whisk in yolks.
• Beat whites with a pinch of salt in another bowl with an electric mixer until they just hold stiff peaks. Fold one fourth of whites into squash mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Spoon into baking dish and bake, uncovered, 15 minutes. Loosely cover top with foil and bake until puffed, golden brown, and just set, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately, with freshly ground pepper.

Steps:

• Combine the cooked squash and egg, stirring well.
• Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt, stir well.
• Add squash mixture and onion; stir until blended.
• Drop squash mixture by level tablespoonful into hot oil.
• Cook until golden brown, turning once. Drain well on paper towels.

Steps:

• Separate eggs. Let eggs and squash stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Grease a 1-1/2-qt. souffle dish and lightly sprinkle with flour; set aside., In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, squash, butter, brown sugar, salt, orange zest, nutmeg and pepper., In a large bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. With a spatula, stir a fourth of the egg whites into squash mixture until no white streaks remain. Fold in remaining egg whites until combined. Transfer to prepared dish., Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until the top is puffed and center appears set. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Put oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat if onions are browning too quickly.
• Transfer onions to a large bowl. Add squash cubes, kale, sage, thyme and garlic. Season with salt and red-pepper flakes, and toss well to coat.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll the puff pastry rounds to 12 inches in diameter (or roll and trim pastry rectangles to achieve two 12-inch rounds). Line a 10-inch pie pan or other shallow round baking dish with one 12-inch round of pastry. Add squash filling, piling it high. Sprinkle with provolone and pecorino. Lay the remaining pastry round over filling and crimp edges to seal. Paint the top of pie with beaten egg.
• Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips. Transfer to oven, and bake for about 1 hour, until pastry is nicely browned and squash is soft when probed with a paring knife. (Start checking at the half-hour mark and the 45-minute mark to make sure the pastry isn't browning too quickly. Tent with foil, if so.) Allow to rest at least 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into large wedges and serving.