Ultimate Savory Butternut Squash, Feta, and Radicchio Puff Pastry Pie
As the vibrant colors of autumn unfold, our kitchens naturally gravitate towards the comforting warmth and rich flavors of seasonal produce. From last week’s indulgent pumpkin sheet cake to a refreshing fall harvest salad, we’ve truly embraced the bounty of the season. Today, we’re rounding out our culinary journey with a show-stopping savory butternut squash pie that promises to be a new favorite.
Creating a name for this culinary delight proved to be quite the puzzle! Is it a pie, a tart, or perhaps a grand savory pastry? The truth is, it transcends simple categories. What we know for sure is that it’s utterly delicious, remarkably elegant, and surprisingly fun to prepare. This dish brings together sweet roasted butternut squash, savory caramelized shallots, the intriguing bitterness of radicchio, and the salty tang of feta, all nestled within a golden, flaky puff pastry crust.
This recipe builds on the beloved concept of our butternut squash hand pies, which many of you enjoyed a few years ago. We’re revisiting that winning flavor combination but elevating it to a magnificent, large-format version. It’s an ideal choice for when you want to impress without the stress, offering a beautiful presentation that’s sure to ‘wow’ any gathering of family and friends.
One of the best secrets to this savory pie’s effortless elegance lies in a simple kitchen shortcut: frozen puff pastry. Forget the time-consuming process of making homemade pie dough. This versatile ingredient thaws in precisely the same amount of time it takes to prepare our flavorful roast vegetable filling. It not only saves valuable time but also guarantees a consistently light, airy, and golden crust that is visually stunning and incredibly satisfying.
Why This Savory Butternut Squash Pie is Perfect for Any Occasion
This savory butternut squash pie is incredibly versatile, making it a fantastic choice for a variety of meals. Imagine it as the centerpiece of a decadent brunch, a comforting and hearty dinner, or even a sophisticated vegetarian main course for your Thanksgiving table. Its rich flavors and striking appearance make it suitable for both casual family meals and more formal holiday entertaining.
The heart of this pie is its simple yet exquisitely balanced filling. We start with sweet butternut squash and mild shallots, both roasted until perfectly caramelized and tender. This foundational sweetness and depth are then beautifully complemented by thinly sliced radicchio, which adds a welcome hint of bitterness. A touch of balsamic vinegar is introduced to brighten the flavors, and finally, crumbled feta cheese is layered in, providing a delightful salty and tangy counterpoint. The combination creates a complex yet harmonious taste experience.
Once all the ingredients are tossed together, the heat from the freshly roasted vegetables gently wilts the radicchio, mellowing its characteristic bitterness and allowing its more subtle earthy notes to shine through. It seems I’ve been quite drawn to all things chicory this week, a delightful culinary journey perhaps inspired by recent travels to Italy, where such vibrant greens are a staple!
Customizing Your Savory Butternut Squash Pie: Endless Variations
My absolute favorite aspect of this recipe is its incredible adaptability. It serves as a fantastic “springboard” for countless flavor variations, allowing you to tailor it to your personal preferences or whatever seasonal ingredients you have on hand. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different herbs, spices, cheeses, or even other roasted vegetables to create your unique savory masterpiece.
When considering substitutions, the most crucial factor to keep in mind is the moisture level of your chosen ingredients. Butternut squash is an ideal winter squash for this recipe because it contains less moisture than many other varieties. This characteristic is vital for preventing a soggy pie crust, ensuring that crisp, flaky texture we all love.
Roasting the butternut squash and shallots ahead of time is not just about convenience; it’s a fundamental step that enhances the pie’s overall quality. This process achieves a beautiful caramelization, deepening their natural sweetness and adding a rich, complex flavor. Crucially, roasting also significantly reduces the moisture content of the vegetables, which is key to avoiding a watery filling. Furthermore, it ensures that the vegetables are perfectly cooked through before assembly, contributing to a shorter overall baking time for the assembled pie.
Effortless Elegance: Assembling Your Butternut Squash Pie
While this savory butternut squash pie might appear intricate and challenging to make, I promise you, it’s far simpler than it looks! To guide you through each stage and ensure a seamless baking experience, I’ve included detailed step-by-step assembly photos below. These visuals will walk you through the process, from rolling out your puff pastry to creating the beautiful lattice top.
Creating those even, artful slits in the top puff pastry sheet serves a dual purpose. Aesthetically, it significantly elevates the pie’s presentation, making it look like it came straight from a gourmet bakery. More importantly, these slits are functional: they allow steam and moisture to escape during baking. This critical step helps the filling to concentrate its flavors and, perhaps most importantly, prevents that dreaded “soggy-bottomed” pastry crust. After all, a perfectly crisp and flaky crust is non-negotiable for any truly delicious pie!
Expert Tips for Working with Delicate Puff Pastry Dough:
Mastering puff pastry is easier than you think with these essential tips:
- Read and Plan Ahead: Always read the recipe at least three times before you begin, and work quickly. Heat is puff pastry’s arch-nemesis, as it can cause the butter to melt, leading to a less flaky result.
- Keep it Chilled: If at any point your dough starts to feel warm or becomes too soft to handle, immediately transfer it to a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill it in the refrigerator or freezer for a minimum of 5 to 10 minutes. This ensures the butter layers remain solid and distinct, which is crucial for achieving that characteristic puff.
- Gentle Rolling: Keep a ruler handy to guide your rolling. Use gentle, short strokes, rolling the dough from the center outwards. Continuously rotate and flip the dough as you roll to prevent it from sticking to your work surface and to ensure even thickness.
- Remove Excess Flour: Before adding your filling, use a pastry brush to lightly dust off any excess flour from the dough. Too much flour can prevent the layers from adhering properly and can leave a dry, pasty residue.
- Preheat Thoroughly and Apply Egg Wash: Always preheat your oven for at least 20 minutes before baking to ensure it reaches and maintains the correct temperature. Just before baking, brush the top crust with an egg and milk wash. This simple step is key to producing a beautifully shiny, golden-brown crust and significantly enhances the overall presentation of your savory pie.
Butternut Squash Pie with Shallots, Radicchio, and Feta
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Equipment
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Half Sheet Pan
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Natural Parchment Paper
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- 1 (17.3 oz) box frozen puff pastry both sheets thawed according to package directions
- unbleached all-purpose flour for dusting
For the Filling:
- 1 medium butternut squash (roughly 2½ lbs) peeled, seeded, and chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 4 medium shallots (roughly 8 oz) sliced into quarters
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary optional
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small head radicchio (roughly 8 oz) thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3 ounces crumbled feta cheese
For the Egg Wash:
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 teaspoons milk
Instructions
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Place the box of puff pastry on the countertop to thaw at room temperature while you prepare the filling (see note). Once the dough has thawed, transfer to the refrigerator and keep chilled until ready to use.
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Prepare the filling: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the center position. Place the butternut squash chunks, shallot pieces, and rosemary sprigs on a sheet pan, drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and toss to evenly coat. Spread the vegetables into a single layer.
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Roast, stirring and flipping the vegetables halfway through, until the squash and shallots are caramelized and tender, about 30 to 35 minutes. Discard the rosemary sprigs and transfer the roasted vegetables to a large mixing bowl (separating any large pieces of shallot), add the sliced radicchio, and balsamic vinegar and toss to evenly coat. Set aside.
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Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (204°C). Line a second sheet pan with parchment paper (or alternatively, cool the previous sheet pan under very cold water several times, rinse, dry well, and re-use).
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Make the egg wash: Whisk together the egg and milk in a small bowl.
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Assemble the pie: Lightly flour a work surface and rolling pin. Gently unfold one sheet of puff pastry. Roll the sheet into a 10-inch-wide by 12-inch-long rectangle. Distribute ⅔ of the roasted vegetable filling onto the pastry, leaving a ¾-inch border on all sides. Sprinkle half of the crumbled feta evenly on top of the vegetable filling, top with the remaining roasted vegetables, and the remaining cheese. Brush the borders lightly with the egg wash.
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Roll the remaining puff pastry so that it is slightly larger in size than the bottom pastry rectangle, roughly 10½ -inches-wide and 12½ -inches-long. This will help account for covering the filling. Gently fold the puff pastry sheet in half lengthwise and place it so that the short edge is facing you and the folded edge is on the right. Using a sharp knife, cut 3-inch-wide perpendicular slits, starting from the bottom, in rows 1-inch apart to create a lattice-cut pattern. You should have around 7 to 8 perpendicular slits in total. See step-by-step photos in the post above for reference.
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Carefully transfer the lattice-cut layer of pastry on top of the roasted vegetable filling, lining up the edges (avoid stretching the dough with your hands). Crimp the borders of the pie by pressing with a lightly floured fork to seal. Trim any uneven edges with a sharp knife or pastry cutter wheel. If any of the slits have overlapped onto each other, gently pull them apart to reveal the filling evenly.
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Brush the top and edges of the dough with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with salt and black pepper. If the dough has warmed significantly, chill the pie in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes before baking.
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Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and puffy. Slice into squares and serve hot.
Serving Suggestions & Storage Tips
This savory butternut squash pie is a meal in itself, but it pairs beautifully with a simple green salad dressed with a light vinaigrette. For a more substantial meal, consider serving it alongside a warm bowl of creamy tomato soup or a side of steamed green beans. Its rich flavors and satisfying texture make it a delightful alternative to traditional meat-based main courses, especially during the festive season.
Leftovers of this savory pie are just as delicious! Store any remaining slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, you can gently warm individual slices in a microwave, but for the best texture, we recommend reheating in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through and the pastry regains some of its crispness. This helps prevent a soggy crust and ensures you enjoy the pie as intended.
Whether you’re hosting a special dinner or simply craving a delicious and comforting meal, this Savory Butternut Squash, Feta, and Radicchio Puff Pastry Pie is sure to become a cherished addition to your recipe collection. Its combination of ease, elegance, and incredible flavor makes it a truly irresistible dish for any fall or winter occasion. Enjoy the process of creating this beautiful pie, and savor every flaky, flavorful bite!