Savoury Pumpkin Tart with Bacon and Cheese

 

Pumpkin is one of my favourite autumn ingredients, and I love finding new ways to bring it to the table. From soups and side dishes to sweet bakes and savoury tarts, its natural sweetness makes it wonderfully versatile.

This savoury pumpkin tart combines roasted pumpkin with smoky bacon, creamy cheese and a hint of nutmeg. The filling is rich and comforting, while the homemade buttery pastry makes a lovely base for all those autumn flavours.

You can use Toma or Taleggio cheese, depending on what you prefer: Toma gives a balanced, savoury flavour, while Taleggio makes the filling richer and creamier. Either way, this is a delicious way to make the most of seasonal pumpkin.

Serve the tart warm or slightly cooled as a starter, for a relaxed lunch, or as part of an autumn buffet. You can also make individual mini tarts if you're entertaining guests.

Savoury Pumpkin Tart with Bacon and Cheese

Yield: Serves 6
Prep time: 30 minutes
Resting time: At least 30 minutes
Cooking time: About 25 minutes, plus the time needed to roast the pumpkin

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 300 g plain flour (Italian 00 flour)
• 100 ml water
• 150 g softened butter

For the filling

• 500 g roasted pumpkin flesh
• 100 g bacon
• 20 g butter
• 160 g Toma or Taleggio cheese
• 4 eggs
• A pinch of ground nutmeg
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Make the pastry. Work the flour and softened butter together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add the water, mixing until you obtain a smooth dough.
2. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Prepare the pumpkin filling. Mash the roasted pumpkin with a fork until smooth. Melt the 20 g of butter in a frying pan, add the pumpkin and cook for a few minutes.
4. Stir in the nutmeg, then add the cheese cut into small pieces. Allow it to melt into the pumpkin mixture.
5. In a separate frying pan, cook the bacon until golden but not overly crisp. Drain off the excess fat, chop the bacon into small pieces and stir it into the pumpkin mixture.
6. Allow the filling to cool slightly, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
7. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Roll out the chilled pastry and use it to line a 28 cm tart tin, or divide it between smaller ovenproof dishes.
8. Pour the filling into the pastry case. If you like, use the leftover pastry to make decorative shapes for the top.
9. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked and the filling is set. Check that the centre is fully cooked before serving.
10. Leave the tart to cool slightly. It is particularly good served warm.

Notes

• The pastry quantity is generous enough to line a 28 cm tart tin and still leave some dough for decorations.
• If you have leftover pastry, you can freeze it for another use.
• Toma and Taleggio both work well here, but they give slightly different results: choose Toma for a more balanced flavour or Taleggio for a creamier filling.
• Roasting the pumpkin in advance makes this recipe easier to prepare. The cooking time for the pumpkin is not included in the stated baking time.