ROUND SQUASH RECIPES

Steps:

• Make the crust: Combine flour and salt in food processor bowl, and pulse. Remove lid, scatter vegetable shortening and butter over surface, and pulse 5 or 6 times.
• Combine beaten egg and 3 tablespoons ice water. Pulse liquid into dry ingredients, continuing until mixture is evenly moist and dough looks curdy, about 10 seconds. Turn onto work surface, and press firmly into disk, adding drops of water if dough feels dry. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight.
• Roll dough into 15-inch round on lightly floured surface, about 1/8 inch thick, and fit into shallow 9-inch pie pan. Trim and crimp edges, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour. Meanwhile, place large pizza stone on lowest rack in oven, and heat at 425 degrees for 1 hour. (If you don't have a pizza stone, you can go without. It can help prevent a soggy bottom crust.)
• Line chilled pie pan with aluminum foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake on pizza stone for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake until crust dries out and crimped edges begin to color, 3 to 5 minutes. Lower oven heat to 300 degrees.
• While crust bakes, prepare filling: Combine eggs, vanilla, sugars, salt and spices in food processor, and process until smooth. Add squash purée, and process until smooth. With machine running, pour in heavy cream, and process to combine.
• Scrape filling into hot prebaked shell, and bake on pizza stone for 20 minutes. Turn the oven up to 325 degrees and continue baking for another 20 to 25 minutes until filling is set two-thirds of the way in from the perimeter and the center still jiggles, about 40 to 45 minutes total (custard will continue to cook after pie is removed from oven). Tent edges loosely with foil if browning too quickly.
• Meanwhile, prepare the candied squash and ginger relish, if using: Combine squash, lemon peel, lemon juice, sugar and salt in small bowl, and stir well. Macerate 30 minutes. Turn into small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until tender and liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Add ginger and mix well.
• Remove pie from oven, and cool to room temperature on rack. Garnish with whipped cream and the relish, if desired.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut the squash lengthways into eight long chunky pieces and put in a large roasting tin with the shallots. Toss in a little oil, season and roast for 20 mins. Add the pecans and roast for 10 mins more, or until the squash is cooked but still firm.
• Leave the squash to cool completely, but tip the nuts and shallots into a non-stick pan. Add the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and plenty of seasoning, and stir over the heat until the shallots start to caramelise. Leave to cool.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle about 32 x 38cm. Trim 2cm from one of the long edges and set aside. Transfer the pastry to a baking tray. Place 4 of the pieces of squash down the longest length in the middle to make a rectangular block, keeping a generous border of pastry all the way round. Place another 2 pieces of squash on top. Trim the remaining 2 pieces and put crossways at the end. Scatter over the sage and blue cheese, then top with the shallots and pecans. Lightly press to compact everything together.
• Brush round the pastry edges with the egg, then draw the two long edges up to meet and pinch together to seal – as you would a Cornish pasty. Tuck under the pastry at both ends, then brush all over with egg. Cut leaf shapes from the pastry trimmings and use to decorate the top of the Wellington. Glaze again and make a couple of small air holes with the point of a knife.
• To freeze: Open-freeze on a baking tray until solid, then wrap in cling film then foil. It will keep for 2 months. To serve, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and put a baking tray in to heat up. Unwrap the Wellington and place on the hot tray. Bake for 30 mins. Cover lightly with foil and bake for 35-40 mins more, taking off the foil for the final 10 mins. Leave to settle for 10 mins before thickly slicing, or the cheese will be too melty and run out. (If cooking from fresh, chill the Wellington for at least 30 mins before cooking – it then needs only 30-40 mins in the oven.)