For a substantial meatless main course, a savory vegetable pie is always welcome. This pie calls for butternut or any other hard squash variety, like kabocha, Hubbard or acorn. It’s complemented with caramelized onions, kale, provolone and sage, then nestled between two sheets of dough. Make an easy flaky pastry or, to save time, use frozen puff pastry rounds. The beauty of this pie is that it may be baked up to several hours in advance and reheated to serve. This allows the flavors to meld and makes cutting the pie easier. You could serve the pie with roasted Brussels sprouts or sautéed mushrooms finished with garlic and lots of parsley, or both.

Savory butternut squash pie

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 large white or yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

• Salt and pepper

• 2 pounds butternut squash or winter squash, peeled, seeded and cut in 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)

• 4 cups shredded kale, chard or other sturdy cooking green (from an 8-ounce bunch)

• 1 tablespoon sage, roughly chopped

• 1 tablespoon thyme, roughly chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

• 2 (8-ounce) puff pastry rounds, or use 2 (14-ounce) puff pastry rectangles

• 5 ounces provolone, cut in 1/4-inch cubes (about 1 cup)

• 3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano, grated

• 1 egg, beaten

Directions:

Put oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat if onions are browning too quickly.

Transfer onions to a large bowl. Add squash cubes, kale, sage, thyme and garlic. Season with salt and red pepper flakes, and toss well to coat.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll the puff pastry rounds to 12 inches in diameter (or roll and trim pastry rectangles to achieve two 12-inch rounds).

Line a 10-inch pie pan or other shallow round baking dish with one 12-inch round of pastry. Add squash filling, piling it high. Sprinkle with provolone and pecorino. Lay the remaining pastry round over filling and crimp edges to seal. Paint the top of pie with beaten egg.

Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips. Transfer to oven, and bake for about 1 hour, until pastry is nicely browned and squash is soft when probed with a paring knife.

(Start checking at the half-hour mark and the 45-minute mark to make sure the pastry isn’t browning too quickly. Tent with foil, if so.)

Allow to rest at least 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into large wedges and serving.

Total time: 1 1/2 hours, serves 6-8.

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