Roast pumpkin and goats curd tart

It has been a busy week. I have just finished my first week at tafe, for those of you who don’t know I am doing a certificate III in patisserie. A very big change going from a full-time stay at home mum for the last 14 years to a now full-time student, but I am loving it 🙂 this week we put our attention to pastry, puff, short, and sweet. I know sounds basic and pastry making is if you follow a few simple rules, but there is still so much to learn. I learnt how the gluten works, the best ways to roll the dough to prevent shrinkage, the different functions of different flours and so much more.

Since I have been learning about pastry, I have taken home my new knowledge and made a rough puff pastry for the base of this delicious Roast pumpkin and goats curd tart. I found this delicious recipe in my Gourmet traveller annual cookbook from 2012, and having bought 3 gorgeous butternut pumpkins straight from the farmer on the way home from Canberra, this delicious tart just had to be made :-).

There is a little bit of work involved in making the pastry but it is most definitely worth it. You can make the pastry well ahead of time, as it will keep well in the fridge for a good week or more, or alternatively you can freeze it for up to 3months.

This tart is delicious for dinner, and works perfectly as a packed lunch, hell its even great for a snack.

RECIPE:

• 750g pumpkin
• 50ml olive oil
• 6 thyme sprigs, plus extra to serve
• 150 goats curd, coursely crumbled
•  40g butter
• 3 leeks, white part only thinly sliced
• 150 dry white wine
• 1 egg lightly beaten , for egg wash

Parmesan rough puff pastry

• 225g plain flour
• 40g finely grated parmesan
• 1 Tsp thyme leaves
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 225g butter, coarsely chopped

METHOD:

1. for the pastry, sift flour and a pinch of salt onto a work surface, add parmesan, thyme and fennel seeds, mix to combine
2. add butter, cutting it through with a pastry scraper, until mixture resembles very coarse crumbs
3. make a well in centre, add 100ml cold water and mix with pastry scraper until dough just comes together form into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate to rest about 20 minutes
4. roll onto a lightly floured surface to a 1.5cm-thick rectangle, fold shortest ends together to meet in centre, then fold in half again to form a book fold.
5. wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate (20 minutes) to rest, then repeat twice. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until required
6. meanwhile, preheat oven to 180ºC
7. scatter pumpkin in a single layer on an oven tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with olive oil, scatter with thyme leaves, season to taste and roast until just tender (30-35 minutes) set aside to cool
8. heat butter in a large frying pan over medium heat, add leek, stir occasionally until tender (10-12 minutes)
9. add wine, stir occasionally until evaporated, season to taste, set aside to cool
10. roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to 5mm thick
11. cut a 25cm diameter circle, place on an oven tray lined with baking paper and refrigerate to rest (30minutes) \score a 1cm border halfway through the pastry, prick inside border with a fork
12. spread leek mixture onto pastry leaving the 1cm border clear, scatter with pumpkin, crumble over goats curd, season to taste
13. roll edges slightly to contain filing,brush with egg wash and bake until golden and cooked through (25-30 minutes),cool scatter with extra thyme and serve with a bitter leaf salad

Tagged: baking, cooking, fennel seeds, Flour, Food, goats cheese, goats curd, leeks, Olive oil, parmesan, Parmigiano-Reggiano, pastry, Plastic wrap, Puff pastry, pumpkin, Recipe, roast pumpkin, Thyme