Savory Puff Pastry Two Ways

For the Butternut Squash: 

1. Cube the butternut squash into very small pieces (see video).
2. Pull fresh thyme leaves from stems and cut into fine pieces.
3. Put butternut squash pieces in a pan on low to medium heat with the fresh thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss around the pan and then cover it and cook for 15 minutes – until the butternut squash is tender in the middle. Stir once or twice while it’s cooking. You'll know it's done when it's tender all the way through.
4. While butternut squash is cooking, use a second pan to lightly toast your pecans on low. I had a bag of already chopped pecans on hand, but if you only have whole, just give them a rough chop into small pieces before toasting. You should toast on low heat and stir several times. It will only take 5-8 minutes before you can smell the nuts getting toasty. Turn the heat off and let them cool to room temperature.
5. Beat your egg with a splash of water for the egg wash.
6. Unwrap one of the puff pastries and lay it on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. If you don’t have parchment paper just spray the bottom of your sheet pan with some kind of cooking spray.
7. Fold over about a ½ inch of the dough around the edges to create a more defined crust. You should fold over or press down on any excess flap at the corners.
8. Drizzle olive oil on dough and brush olive oil on the bottom of the dough.
9. Once your butternut squash is cooked you can spoon it onto the dough, covering all areas.
10. Open your goat cheese and start slicing off  chunks of the log directly onto the butternut squash.
11. Sprinkle your pecans on top of that.
12. Brush your egg wash on the crust.
13. Cook your puff pastry in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, until it’s golden brown.

For the Eggplant, Roasted Tomato, Gouda: 

1. Start with the tomatoes. You should core, cut in half and remove the seeds of the tomatoes.
2. Place tomato halves in a large baking dish and drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper on them. Set them aside.
3. Get your eggplant ready and wash it first. Then cut of the top and bottom pieces. Next, cut the eggplant into approximately ½ inch slices. You don’t want these too thin or too thick.
4. Place eggplant slices onto a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper on both sides. I use a pastry brush to spread the olive oil. Then add the salt and pepper.
5. Put your sheet pan of eggplant and baking dish of tomatoes into a pre-heated over at 400 degrees. The eggplant should be roasted in about 20 minutes or so. The tomatoes take about 45 minutes to an hour. There is more eggplant and tomato than you will need for this recipe, but I always make extra because you can make great veggie sandwiches with the leftovers or use them to make a delicious salad.
6. Shred ¾ cup of gouda cheese. Or some other cheese of your choice. Fresh mozzarella or shredded mozzarella could work too.
7. Beat your egg with a splash of water for the egg wash. If you’re making both puff pastries at the same time you can just use the egg wash from the butternut squash pastry.
8. Unwrap one of the puff pastries and lay it on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. If you don’t have parchment paper just spray the bottom of your sheet pan with some kind of cooking spray.
9. Fold over about a ½ inch of the dough around the edges to create a more defined crust. You should fold over or press down on any excess flap at the corners.
10. Drizzle olive oil on dough and brush olive oil on the bottom of the dough.
11. Place four evenly sized pieces of eggplant and place on bottom of dough. Place four roasted tomato slices on top of the eggplant. Sprinkle your shredded gouda on top.
12. Brush your egg wash on the crust.
13. Cook in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
14. Chop some fresh basil for garnish (optional).