French Pumpkin Soup
6 tbsp. butter
3 lbs. fresh pumpkin, peeled, seeded and diced
2 apples, peeled, cored, diced
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 vanilla bean, split
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
2 71/2" X 14 1/2" sheets puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
Melt butter in a large skillet over
medium heat. Add pumpkin and apples and cook, stirring
occasionally, 8-10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add sugar and vanilla
beans and
scrape browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Cover
and
cook until pumpkin and apples are soft, but still holding their shape, about 30
minutes.
Set aside to cool. When cool, discard vanilla bean and add pecans.
Preheat oven to 350. Roll out
1 sheet of puff pastry into a square on a lightly floured
surface. Using an 11" tart ring as a guide, cut out a circle and set
aside. Roll out remaining
sheet of pastry into a square, then ease pastry into the tart ring and set on a
parchment
lined baking sheet. Trim edges to overhang 1/4". Fill pastry with
pumpkin mixture, then
lay reserved pastry circle over filling. Tuck edge of top pastry between
filling and the
bottom pastry and brush surface with egg. Fold overhanging pastry back
over the top
pastry. Bake until deep golden, 35-40 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly before serving.
