Sweet & Savory Autumn Tarte Tatin
Butternut and Acorn Squash
Bacon, Maple, Hazelnut, Goat Cheese, Sage
I have a feeling I’m going to get more requests to make the Sweet & Savory Autumn Tarte Tatin this season. With its nutty, tangy, and sucré flavors, the smoky aromas, rich earthy colors, and crispy, creamy, flaky textures ~ the famous inverted French pie originally made with apples back in the late 1800’s ~ is heart and soul of the inspiration for this recipe.
Butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup are intensified and caramelized at the bottom of the cast iron pan while the pastry on top remains dry, light and crisp. Stephanie Tatin’s inadvertent “mistake” in cooking an apple pie up-side-down has become a part of culinary history and its method copied in various forms over the years. Sometimes sweet, sometimes savory ~ here I present a delightful Autumn tarte that is both…
The 5 Star Makeover Cooking Group hosted by Natasha the 5 Star Foodie & Lazaro of Lazaro Cooks! is an outstanding monthly event for sharing ideas and creating gourmet makeovers of selected classic dishes or flavor combinations. Event hosts Laz and Natasha sagely chose SQUASH for our October Makeover. Friends in our Cooking Group have created dishes from starters, soups, and sides to desserts, and even ceviche ~ that use the vegetable in super-creative ways. Along with butternut and acorn, we’ll see delicata, turban, zucchini, pumpkin, spaghetti squash and more. A very talented group. The seasonal squash collection is now posted here.
In addition to the Autumn Tarte Tatin, I made a surprisingly delicious Southern Greens Pasta in a Roasted Squash Bowl with extra butternut squash left over from the tarte. Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens, Collards, and Spinach are simmered in Chicken Broth with Black Forest Bacon, Onion, Garlic, Red Chile Flakes, Apple Cider Vinegar, Olive Oil then tossed with Fusillata Casareccia (open s-shape twist pasta). That recipe was posted yesterday here.
Sweet & Savory Autumn Tarte Tatin Recipe
Cut butternut and acorn squash into cubes. Toss with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400° oven in a single layer for about 20 – 25 minutes until al dente.
Trim fat from 4 slices of smoked bacon then cut into bite-sized pieces. Sauté in a small amount of olive oil until cooked but not crisp. Drain on paper towels. In a cast iron pan, heat 1/4 c. butter with 2 T. maple syrup and 2 T. dark brown sugar. When the butter starts to bubble, stir in the bacon.
Add squash to the pan and stir to coat. Add fresh thyme sprigs.
Meanwhile, toast hazelnuts in a dry skillet. Rub the skins off the nuts with a kitchen towel. Chop the nuts into small pieces then sprinkle over the squash mixture.
Cut puff pastry dough into a circle slightly larger than the circumference of the pan. Lay the dough over the squash mixture and tuck the sides in around the edges. Pierce four steam holes in the dough. Bake at 400° until the pastry has risen and is golden brown, about 25 – 30 minutes.
While the Tarte Tatin is baking, fry whole sage leaves in butter until crisp, about one minute. Reserve on paper towels.
When the pastry is golden brown, remove the pan from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Place a wide shallow serving platter over the pan.
Invert the Tarte Tatin onto the platter, carefully lifting off the pan.
Immediately top the Tarte Tatin with crumbled aged goat cheese so it begins to melt. (We like tangy Spanish Cana de Cabra).
Finally, top the tarte with fried sage leaves.
Note: A vegetarian version can easily omit the bacon.
Be sure to serve it right away ~ while the sweet aromas of Autumn waft from the tarte, and the sage is crispy, the cheese is melting, the pastry is light and flaky…
Love everything about this and all the flavors and smells of Autumn right at the table. I used some sage leaves tonight also with butternut squash. Thinking the same.
Thanks Angela ~ didn’t want to mess with classic pairings, only how they came to the table. Bet your squash was awesome as well.
LL
So gorgeous, love that you used both butternut and acorn squash in this delicious looking tart tatin!
Thanks Natasha ~ I was going for a bit of color contrast, as well as variety.
Terrific challenge, thanks again.
LL
Truly stunning, LL! I love the flavors you have in there. A while ago I made a savory Belgian endive tarte tatin and I think this might be my next savory tarte tatin adventure — it would be a lovely addition to Thanksgiving dinner!
Thank Faith! I remember your endive tarte, it was totally fabulous, it’s still on my list to make!
LL
I’m somewhat awestruck at how evenly those cubes are cut, let alone how delicious the end result must taste. Thanks for yet another nutritious and user-friendly recipe, LL.
Hi Shell ~ the cubes were important to me 🙂 and I used two squashes to get a color contrast too. It turned out to be a terrific recipe…
LL
Wow, this looks so gorgeous and delicious! Definitely my kind of comfort food 🙂
Thank you Cara ~ ours too!
LL
This is one of THE most creative recipes I have ever seen that I actually want to MAKE! I am obsessed with Tarte Tatin and I never thought to make a savory vegetable version! You’re brilliant! I love it!
Thank you so much FH ~ although I cannot take the credit for creating a savory tarte tatin, but I do take credit for this one recipe. Savory tartes are my favorites…
Please let me know if you make this!
LL
I am hopelessly in love with this! I want it now with a glass of crisp Albariño. 🙂
I’ve never made a tarte tatin and now that’s all I can think of so I’m glad this is one where you posted explicit instructions because it’s not particularly in my wheelhouse. I am bookmarking and sharing with friends and family.
Joan ~ perfect pair with that albariño, I’ll join you!
You’ll enjoy making tartes tatin…lots of room for creativity.
LL
holy heck, i’m nearly jumping out of my seat with this one!! what a great great recipe 🙂 you’d better believe i’m giving this one a try!
Thank you Shannon, and please let me know how it turns out. Feel free to let your creative juices flow….
LL
This is an incredible edible dish. Its has everything plus more…Lori you took the tarte!
Gracias Norma ~ you are always so sweet!
LL
I love love love this recipe! Can’t wait to try it! Heather and Matt will be down Sat. So excited to celebrate with them!
Hi Debbie ~ so nice to hear from you! Please let me know if you make this tarte. It was truly fabulous.
Hello to H & M, congrats on the engagement! YAY!
LL
Wow, how creative you got (again). This is a beauty of a tart.
Grazie Linda! You are too kind 🙂 and it was a beaut…
LL
Wow, you should be proud of this! So many delicious autumnal flavors together.
Thanks Marisa ~ hmm, could I fit another Fall flavor in there?? It sure was a fun challenge!
Now onto green beans…
LL
Ummmm….do you have a hidden camera in my kitchen? Can you see that neglected acorn squash sitting beside that neglected butternut squash on my counter? This sounds amazing!
No Heather, but I would love to see what you do with those two squashes…And I LOVED your shrunken heads. Happy Halloween!
LL
That is just plain gorgeous, I can even make this, and I think I will!
I hope you do Marie, would love to see your creative spin on it!
LL
Beautiful! I love sage and squash together.
Very nice sweet & savory combination on your tart tatin. I love your red pan (and wish to have that tart tatin in it too)!! 🙂
This looks absolutely incredible! Yum!
Whoa. Slurp. This looks a-maz-ing, and your knife skills!!!! I am not worthy!!! : )
I made this tonight and it tasted incredible. Many distinct tastes and different textures that varied with each bite. Really wonderful.
Hi Richard – I am so happy you liked the tarte. Really appreciate that you took the time to let me know. You made my day… 🙂
LL