A Savory Pumpkin Recipe: A Thyme & Goat Cheese Tart

Ya’ll if you are looking for the perfect savory pumpkin recipe, look no further! This savory pumpkin tart is pure perfection. The tangy goat cheese and the seasonal thyme is just a match in heaven. I love my pumpkin desserts, but sometimes it is nice to just change it up a bit. This made me think of cooking a savory pumpkin recipe, so I googled and came upon this recipe from An Edible Mosaic.

George was hanging on to my leg most of the time so it took me twice as long as it should to make it, but man was it worth the time. I normally buy my crusts just because I rarely have luck with making a crust that stays together, this one however did stay put and was delicious. It might have something to do with the stick of butter in it, but we will not talk about that! 😉 This savory pumpkin recipe would be perfect for a brunch or lunch with a light salad and fruit. I plan on making it multiple times this fall season.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have a great weekend! XO!

Crust:
1¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough ( Iused all purpose )
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ + ⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk (you’ll use the egg white in the custard)
2-3 tablespoons cold water

Caramelized Onion:
1½ tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 large clove garlic, minced
¾ teaspoon dried thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

Pumpkin Ricotta Custard:
2 large eggs
1 large egg white (leftover from making the crust)
¼ cup whipping cream
½ cup pumpkin puree
½ cup ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (Iused Agave Nectar since I didn’t have maple syrup and it was just as good!)
¼ + ⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled

For the crust, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl and then cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until it looks like coarse meal. Once the butter is added, cut in the egg yolk. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, working the dough together with your fingertips just until it comes together, and only adding enough water so the dough comes together when you squeeze it. Gather the dough together into a ball and then flatten it into a disk; wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

For the caramelized onion, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until its deep caramel in color, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or turn the heat down a little at any time if the onion or the pan starts to get too dark. Add the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper during the last 5 minutes of cooking, stirring more frequently after they’re added.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Once the dough is chilled, roll it out onto a generously floured surface to a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a 10 or 11-inch tart pan and press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, trimming off the excess. Poke several holes in the dough on the bottom of the pan and bake for 15 minutes.
While the crust bakes, make the custard. To do so, add all ingredients (except the goat cheese) to a food processor or blender and puree until completely smooth.
Spread the caramelized onion onto the tart. Pour the custard on top and spread it out evenly. Dot the top with goat cheese.
Bake until the tart is golden and the custard is set, about 25 to 30 minutes.