Introduction: Introduction: Savory Butternut Brie Tart
I am always creating and testing healthy gluten free recipes that use my favorite ingredients:
Cheese, dates, and nuts.
This tart combines these favorites with creamy butternut and caramelized onions, making it into a perfect slice of lunch pie, a pretty side dish at supper, or even a fun breakfast option, heated up and served with bacon. It is great to serve around the holidays as well, hinting at fall and winter colors and flavors. For me personally, I make it throughout all four seasons, as I enjoy these flavors year round.
Step 1: Step 1: Collecting Your Ingredients and Equipment
*Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
For this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 small- medium butternut squash
- 1 large sweet yellow onion
- 1 stick of butter
- 8 dates (Date Lady brand is the best)
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- fresh sage or rosemary
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 8 ounces triple cream brie
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
You will also need the following tools:
- 9x9 baking dish
- fork
- tin foil
- cooking spray
- dinner plate
- large skillet
- medium mixing bowl
- small mixing bowl
- pie dish
- rubber spatula
- chefs knife
- cutting board
- large soup spoon
- set of measuring spoons
- set of measuring cups
- hand mixer
Step 2: Step 2: Cooking Your Squash
For this step you will need:
- butternut squash
- salt
- chefs knife
- large spoon
- 9x9 baking dish
- cooking spray
- tin foil
- fork
- dinner plate
- Remove the stem of the squash and cut in half, removing and discarding the seeds.
- Sprinkle the squash with salt.
- Grease the 9x9 baking dish Place the squash cut-side-down in the baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes or until when pierced with a fork, the flesh is soft.
(let this cook while you go on to the other steps)
- Remove it from the oven and reduce the heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Take the squash out of the dish and place on the plate in the fridge to cool.
Step 3: Step 3: Making the Crust
To make the crust take out the following:
- measuring spoons
- 1/4 cup measuring cup
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
- the small mixing bowl
- soup spoon
- pie dish
- cooking spray
- rubber spatula
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in your small bowl in the microwave.
- Mix the butter with 1/4 cup of the coconut flour, and the salt, and sugar.
- Carefully start adding the rest of the coconut flour until you have a powdery, buttery crust.
- Grease a pie dish, and lightly press the crust into the bottom of it. The crust will be thin and does not need to go up the sides!
Step 4: Step 4: Making the Topping
You will need these ingredients and items for your topping:
- 1 large sweet yellow onion
- 8 dates (Date Lady brand is the best)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup walnuts, divided
- salt
- water
- large skillet
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- table fork
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- Peal and slice the onion into thin rings.
- Using your fingers, remove the pits out of the dates.
- Place the onions on the bottom of the skillet and with slices of butter over them. Place the dates on top and sprinkle with a little salt.
- Let this cook on medium-high heat until the onions begin to caramelize. Stir gently, but keep the dates on top for the most part to keep them from cooking too much.
- Once the onions are soft and have a nice brown color, stir the dates around and add 1-2 tablespoons of water, mashing the dates with a fork. They will begin to dissolve and melt. Add more water if needed. Once the mixture is thick and caramel-like, remove from the heat--it's done!
- Stir in 1/2 cup of the walnuts.
Step 5: Step 5: Scooping Out the Squash
This part is simple!
- the cooked squash
- soup spoon
- medium mixing bowl
- fork
- Picking up the Squash, scoop out the flesh as close to the skin as possible.
- Place the squash in the medium bowl and discard the skins.
Step 6: Step 6: Mixing the Filling
Now for the filling, here is what you should set out:
- cooked Squash (that's in your medium mixing bowl)
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup of heaving whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- fresh rosemary or sage, your favorite herb (2 teaspoons when minced)
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- hand mixer
- Crack the eggs into the mixing bowl with the squash, and add the salt. With the hand mixer,beat together on very high speed. Beat until thick and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Mince the rosemary or sage (whichever you prefer) until you have 2 teaspoons.
- Beat the cream, sugar, and minced herbs into the squash mixture until nicely incorporated.
Step 7: Step 7: Assembling the Tart
And now it's time to put it all together!
- pie pan with crust
- filling
- 8 ounces Brie cheese
- topping
- reserved cup of walnuts
- spatula
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- fork
- To assemble, use the spatula and carefully pour the filling into the pie crust.
- Slice the Brie cheese into thick slices and lay over the top of the pie. They will sink into the filling a little.
- Using the fork, lay the caramelized onion mixture all over the brie.
- Sprinkle with the other half of the walnuts.
Step 8: Step 8: Baking, Cooling, and Serving
- Bake in your pre-heated oven of 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let cool 20 minutes or until firm enough to cut through easily.
- Slice into 8-10 slices and serve!
**You can also chill this and eat it cold. It is good either way!**
**You can refrigerate the leftovers and keep them up to 3 days. If you desire to reheat it, reheat individual pieces, not the whole tart at once. **