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Buttery Hazelnut and Winter Squash Tian
This winter squash side comes together easily. It takes its name from a classic French Provençal dish of vegetables baked in a shallow, round earthenware vessel called a tian. Either a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate or an 8-inch square baking dish works fine. The awkward shape and density of butternut squash makes it a challenge to prep. An easy, safe approach is to use a sharp, sturdy chef’s knife to trim off the ends, then use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. Use the knife to cut the squash crosswise, separating the neck from the bulbous base, then halve each piece lengthwise. With a spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds from the bulb portions. Finally, with the flat side on the cutting board, slice each quarter. To prep ahead, remove the tian from the oven after the final 20 to 25 minutes of uncovered baking and hold off on adding the butter-hazelnut mixture; it will keep uncovered at room temperature for up to three hours. When ready to serve, remelt the butter-hazelnut mixture, spoon on top and bake at 450°F for 15 minutes.
6 to 8
Servings
Don’t worry if the squash slices aren’t exactly half-moon shaped, but do aim for slices no thicker than ¼ inch thick so the tian is evenly tender throughout. Make sure to place the slices with the rounded sides facing up and tightly packed into the pie plate or baking dish, but don’t obsess about neat or perfect placement.
1¾ hours
35 minutes active
Ingredients
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1
tablespoon salted butter, room temperature, plus 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
-
1
2- to 2½-pound butternut squash, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced crosswise into ¼-inch-thick half-moons
Directions
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01Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle position. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate or 8-inch square baking dish with the room-temperature butter.