Butternut Squash and Leek Pie

(recipe from Cook Your Way to the Life You Want by Christina Pirello)

Filling
2 tsp. oil
2 to 3 leeks, split lengthwise, rinsed well, and thinly sliced
Soy sauce
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 cup cooked chestnuts, coarsely minced
3 Tbsp. plain almond milk
About 1/4 cup coarsely minced walnuts, pan toasted, for garnish

Walnut Pastry
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
Pinch sea salt
1/2 cup walnuts, finely minced
1/4 cup walnut or corn oil
About 4 Tbsp. water

Make the filling:  Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium heat.  Add leeks and a dash of soy sauce; saute until limp, about 5 minutes.  Add squash and a dash of soy sauce; saute, stirring, until mixed in with leeks and shiny with oil.  Stir in chestnuts and milk, and season lightly with soy sauce.  Cover, and simmer over low heat until squash is soft, about 15 minutes.  Remove cover, and simmer until sauce reduces and thickens.

Make the pastry:  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F.  Oil a rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom.  Combine flour, salt, and walnuts in a medium bowl.  With a fork or pastry cutter, cut in oil until it is the texture of wet sand.  Slowly mix in water until dough gathers into a firm ball.  Roll dough between 2 sheets of parchment to create a rectangle that is about 1 inch larger than the pan.  Transfer rectangle to the pan and press, without stretching, to fit into crevices of pan.  Trim away excess crust flush with top rim.  Pierce in several places with a fork.  Fit a piece of foil over crust, pressing for a firm fit.  Fill crust with dried beans or pie weights to prevent crust from bubbling.  Bake 17 minutes.  Remove from oven, lift foil and beans (you may reuse the beans for pie weights), and allow crust to cool.

To assemble:  Spoon filling evenly into cooled pastry.  Garnish with toasted walnuts, and let stand about 15 minutes before slicing.

(Note:  I used a frozen pie crust!  I just baked the crust a bit, filled it with the filling, and baked more following directions on package.  Super tasty!  The chestnuts, leeks, and squash are delicious!)

Creamy Peach Tart with Smoky Almond Crust

(recipe from Food & Wine magazine)

2 cups vanilla wafer cookies (5 ounces)
1/2 cup smoked almonds
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg
2 firm, ripe medium peaches, peeled and cut into thin wedges

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a food processor, combine the vanilla wafers with the almonds and 2 Tbsp. of the sugar and process until fine.  Add the melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are evenly moistened.  Press the crumbs into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan.  Bake for 10 minutes, until the crust is set.

Meanwhile, wipe out the food processor bowl.  Add the cream cheese, sour cream, egg and 2 Tbsp. of the sugar and process until smooth.  Pour the custard into the crust and bake for 15 minutes, until set.  Let the tart cool slightly and transfer to the freezer to chill, about 15 minutes.

In a bowl, toss the peaches with the remaining 2 Tbsp. of sugar.  Arrange the peaches in 2 concentric circles over the custard.  Remove the ring, cut the tart into wedges and serve.

(Nope, not vegan, not even close.  Made this to serve the ladies along with snacks and drinks in my garden.  Peaches were on sale, it's a quick recipe.  I couldn't find smoked almonds, just used roasted unsalted ones.  The crust is a bit crumbly, but tastes good.  Any fruit would be fine in this.)