
After Hugh and I got married, just before I started writing this book, I started experimenting with vegetable dishes that could qualify as "man food." I came up with this dish featuring the fabulous combination of barely sweet squash and savory onions. At this point I count on one hand how many times I had made a tart, so I was pleasantly surprised when this went over as well as it did.
I will not lie; this tart has a fair number of steps and will leave you with a sink full of dishes, but it's well worth it. If you like, you can make the tart shell, roast the squash, and sauté the chard a day in advance, then bring everything to room temperature before assembling it. Make sure that there are no holes in the tart crust and that it is completely cooked before adding the filling. I've had the egg mixture leak through the crust before, so hopefully I'm sparing you the same frustration.
This can also be made in a springform pan if you don't have a fluted tart pan. Because many springform pans are about 9 inches around, the crust will be a bit thicker, so be sure to press the dough gently up the sides of the pan in an even layer, just as you would the tart pan. The filling will be a tad deeper too, so add a few minutes to the final baking time.