Directions

Pastry Dough:

1. Make the dough in advance and refrigerate and/or freeze. This dough is easily made in a food processor.

2. Cut the butter into ¼ inch cubes and deep-chill or freeze. Ice-cold butter and ice-cold water produce a flakier tart. Measure the 3 cups of flour into the bowl of the food processor, add the pinch of salt. Pulse briefly to combine. Stop the machine. Add the butter and pulse until the flour and butter resemble coarse meal. Stop machine. Add 1/3 cup of ice-cold water and pulse again. Add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time, stopping the machine and gathering the dough to see if it holds together in clumps. When it does hold together, stop! Dump the dough out onto the counter, divide in half and wrap in plastic wrap. Flatten each ball into a compact circle. Refrigerate before using. Overnight is best. Dough also freezes very well.

3. Prep the vegetables:

a. Cut the leeks into ¼ inch pieces, wash in plenty of water and drain. Use white parts only.

b. Peel and dice a medium yellow or white onion, ½ cup yield

c. Mash 2 cloves fresh garlic

d. Peel and dice (1/4-inch dice) the Yukon gold potatoes. Put in a bowl and add olive oil, just enough to coat. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

e. Peel and dice both the sweet potato and butternut squash as you did with the potatoes. Combine with the potatoes and add more oil, again, just to coat. Season with a bit more salt and pepper.

f. Remove the sausage from the casings and put in a separate bowl.

Cook the filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roast the squash and potatoes by spreading them out on a sheet pan in a single layer. Cook until barely tender when pierced with the point of a knife. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan. This will take 15 to 25 minutes depending on the size of your dice.

a. Gently heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the leeks and onions and cook over medium-low heat until softened without browning. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic, it will cook in the residual heat. Add the sausage and cook until completely cooked through. Break large pieces apart with an edge of a spatula. Drain off excess fat and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes. In a large bowl combine the cooked sausage, onion-leek mix with the cooked potatoes and root vegetables. Try to not mash everything, but rather just combine thoroughly.

b. Add the grated mozzarella and ricotta cheeses to the mix. Gently. Taste for seasoning.

4. Assembly:

a. Gather your tart pans. I used 14-inch pizza pans. You could use a sheet pan as well. Lightly butter or oil the bottoms of the pans.

b. Remember that this recipe makes 2 tarts.

c. Roll the doughs, one at a time, into large circles, about 12 inches in diameter. Flour the surface you are rolling on so your dough does not stick. Trim the edges of the dough. I inverted a large stainless-steel bowl on top of the dough and cut around the circumference.

d. If you are using rectangular baking sheets, roll out your dough to fit in that pan.

e. Divide half the filling on the dough’s surface. Smooth the mixture into an even layer, leaving a 2-inch border.

f. Fold the edges of the dough up and over the filling. Put a little “pleat” in the dough as you move along the edges. Chill for at least 20 minutes before baking.

g. Repeat procedure with the second ball of dough and the rest of the filling. Chill the second tart as well.

5. Baking:

a. Use a fork to beat the egg in a small bowl with a pinch of salt. Brush the edges of the dough with this egg wash. Bake immediately or refrigerate to bake at a later time. (Tart could also be frozen as well, at this point)

b. Combine the grated Parmesan cheese with the breadcrumbs.

c. Bake the tart(s) at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and quickly sprinkle the filling with the breadcrumb-cheese mixture. Return tart to oven and continue to bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or more. The crust should be golden brown and the dough cooked all the way through.

d. Serve warm sliced into wedges.

e. Optional: add a poached or fried egg to each slice.