At the Table of La Fortezza: Butternut Squash and Potato Pie (Torta Di Zucca E Patate)

I’m sharing a delicious fall recipe with you from At the Table of La Fortezza. I prepare a lot of squash from the garden. This pie is filling—and inexpensive to prepare. The buttery flavor is rich and satisfying, and this pie tastes great, warm or cold. It can also serve as a main dish for vegetarian meals. Here’s the latest YouTube video where you can follow along and make this recipe with me.

Butternut Squash and Potato Pie

Serves 8

Ingredients for Quick Puff Pastry (or you can use 1 disk of store-bought puff pastry)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 1/2  sticks frozen unsalted butter 

• 1/2  cup cold water

Ingredients for the Filling:

• 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes (about 2 1/2 cups)

• 1 teaspoon salt, divided

• 1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes (about 2 1/2  cups) 

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 1/2  teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preparation for Pastry:

• Prepare the puff pastry up to one day ahead

• Place 2 cups of flour and the salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Use a vege-table grater to grate the frozen butter into the flour. On slow speed, add the cold water until a thick dough forms; then gather the dough into a ball, flatten it into a 4 by 5-inch rectangle, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or place it in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes

• Unwrap the chilled dough; dust your work sur-face with flour and roll out the dough into a 6 by 12-inch rectangle. Fold the dough in thirds, like a letter. Turn it 90 degrees, roll out the dough to a 6 by 12-inch rectangle and fold into thirds again. Repeat this process 2 to 4 times; then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight

• Remove the puff pastry from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before using, to soften

Preparation for Filling:

• Place the potatoes in a pot with enough cold water to cover, bring to a simmer over medium heat, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. Drain well, and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Set aside in a large bowl

• Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and sauté the squash, garlic, and remaining 1/2 tea-spoon salt for 15 minutes, or until the squash is soft

• Preheat the oven to 350°F

• Gently toss the cooked squash in a bowl with the potatoes, being careful not to break up the squash, then stir in the egg, nutmeg, and butter. Set aside

• Roll out the puff pastry and press it into an 8-inch springform pan. Using your fingers or a fork, press the pastry around the rim of the pan and use a fork to prick the bottom

• Place the potato and squash filling into the puff pastry and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 25 minutes, then top with the remaining 1/4 cup Par-mesan cheese and continue to bake for 10 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown

• Serve warm or at room temperature