Butternut Squash and Sausage Puff Packets

Consider this a base for puff packets (or "Wellingtons") that you can fill with just about anything. Leaving out the sausage works fine if you want a vegetarian version.

Serves 4

Adapted from NY Times Cooking. The photo is theirs.

Ingredients

• 1 package frozen puff pastry

• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed

• 1Tbl. olive oil

• Salt & pepper

• 2 Tbl. butter

• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced

• 1 large shallot, chopped

• 3/4 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

• 1/3 cup white wine or vegetable broth

• 1/2 pound ground sausage

• 1 tsp. maple syrup (or 1 tsp. brown sugar)

• 1/2 tsp. thyme

• 1 cup crumbled goat cheese 

• 1 egg, whisked with 1 Tbl. water.

Instructions

1. Thaw one sheet of puff pastry. This can take a few hours in the refrigerator or 30 minutes to an hour on the counter, so allow some time. 

2. Preheat the oven to 425.

3. Toss the butternut squash, olive oil and a few grinds each of salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and roast for 20-30 minutes until soft and just starting to brown. Toss them half way through cooking so browning is even.

4. While the squash is cooking, melt the butter a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallot and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they're soft and their juices evaporate, about 10 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook until it evaporates. Place the mushroom mixture in a bowl and wipe the pan clean.

5. Using the same pan, brown the sausage. Blot with a paper towel to remove some of the grease.

6. When the squash is done cooking, put it into a bowl and toss with maple syrup and thyme.

7. Lightly flour a surface. Unfold the sheet of puff pastry and roll it with a rolling pin (or wine bottle if you don't have a rolling pin) to a width of 10" and length of 15". Cut it in half vertically.

8. On each half, spread out a layer of mushrooms, leaving a 1/4" border on all sides. Crumble some goat cheese over the mushrooms, then layer on some butternut squash and sausage.

9. Fold the long sides of the pastry towards the middle, pinching the two sides together so make a seam. Pinch the ends closed too and place seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment (or sprayed with cooking spray if you don't have parchment).

10. Brush some of the egg wash on the top of each packet. This will make them golden brown when cooked.

11. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. The packets should be puffed golden and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes, then cut each packet in half so you have four servings.