Crust:
1 ¾ cups flour, plus more for rolling the dough
¼ tsp salt
12 Tbsps cold unsalted butter, diced
1-3 Tbsps ice water
For the Filling:
1 pound winter squash, peeled, seeded and diced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs each fresh rosemary and basil, stemmed and chopped
4 sprigs thyme, stemmed and chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ cups heavy cream
3 large eggs
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
First: make the crust dough. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and salt. Add the butter and work it until the dough looks like cornmeal with pea-sized lumps of butter. Add 1 Tbsp cold water at a time until the dough comes together. Gather the dough into a ball, press into a disc, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 45 minutes and up to 2 days.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and set a rack to the lower third position.
Prepare the Filling: In a large bowl, toss together the squash, onion, mushrooms, garlic, herbs and salt, then add olive oil and toss again. Arrange mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until tender, 20-25 minutes. Remove and let cool until room temperature.
In a medium bowl, whisk the cream, eggs and nutmeg. Set aside.
Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured surface a 14” circle about 1/8” thick. Transfer to a 12” tart (or pie) pan and trim. Sprinkle half of the cheese on the bottom of the crust. Top with the squash mixture and then top with the remaining cheese. Pour the egg mixture over all. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, 30-40 minutes. Let cool. Makes 8 servings.
