Here’s a tasty, savory vegetable tart, just like your grandma used to make. That is, if your grandma was a hipster yuppy from Brooklyn. Actually, Brooklynites might not eat this, because it has gluten and of course arugula is so 2008. Luscious is not a hipster  and has never been to Brooklyn, so we really don’t know what the hell we’re talking about. Except, hey Brooklyn, we heard you’re full of yuppies.

But seriously, it’s okay. Acorn and arugula together in a tart sounds slapably pretentious, but don’t go hatin’, they’re just vegetables. The fruity, nutty squash is rather gloriously offset by the earthy arugula. Our Texas garden arugula is spicy hot!  If  all you can get is some kind of sissy arugula, you could sub in kale or some mustard green leaves. Bacon on top keeps it real.

Have ready a 9″ tart pan with removable bottom or a glass pie pan.

For the crust:
Don’t be afraid to make your own crust, it’s so worth it, and this is an easy one. Cream cheese dough has a lot of flavor and is cooperative. Those crusts from the grocery store are full of weird chemicals that will turn you into Lindsay Lohan. (Although, we love Lindsay, because she makes Luscious look like we have our $h!t together.)

1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
4 ounces cream cheese, cold and cut into pieces
6 tablespoons butter, cold and cut into pieces
2-3 tablespoons cold whipping cream

Whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, then cut in the cream cheese and butter. You could use a food processor here, but be super careful not to overmix.  Luscious like to use a pastry cutter until all the big chunks are gone, and then we use our very clean fingers to work the mixture until it resembles crumbs. Drizzle on the cream and mix with a spatula until it all starts to stick together. Get your hands in there again and work it into a big ball. Take your big dough ball and set it in the middle of the tart pan, flattening into a disk, and slowing but surely working it up the sides so you have an even thickness on the bottom and side. Look at that, you didn’t even have to roll out the dang dough. Stick that in freezer for 15-20 while you work on the filling, pre-heat over to 350º.  Take the crust out of the oven, line with aluminum foil and fill bottom with pie weights or dried bean, back for 20 minutes.

For the filling:
1 big Acorn squash, heavy for it’s size. Yes, you can use Butternut, but we’ll know you’re just doing it because you like to say “butternut.” We get it.
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/4 tsp nutmeg, a little more if you like that flavor
salt and pepper
1/2 cup water
3 slices bacon
1 1/2 cups chopped arugula, the hotter the better!
1 egg
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons blue cheese crumbles
Peel, seed, and chop acorn squash into 1″ cubes. Heat oil over med-high heat in the skillet, and add onion and squash. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Cook for several minutes stirring often until squash cubes get some nice brown caramelization. Sprinkle a little salt and ground pepper over squash. Add water to the skillet, stir, lower heat, and cover. Cook until squash is tender enough to cut easily the side of the spoon. Remove cooked squash mixture to a big glass bowl, and allow to cool a bit.

Cook the bacon in the same skillet until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels and chop.  Pour all but a tablespoon of the bacon grease, turn up the heat and toss in the arugula. Stirring often, flash fry for a little less than a minute. Set aside.

Beat egg with cream, and mix into squash, stirring until well mixed.  Evenly spread mixture into baked tart crust. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes, until the filling has firmed up a bit.

Sprinkle arugula, bacon, and blue cheese, in that order, over squash, bake for another 10 minutes. Allow to cool about 7-10 minute, slice and serve. Your Brooklyn hipster yuppy grandma will be proud.