Manchego & Butternut Squash Puffs

Make Squash Filling

1. Combine all ingredients in medium pot and bring to simmer. Cover and reduce heat to low.
2. Cook 1 hour or until all ingredients are very tender. Check occasionally to make sure pot doesn’t boil dry. If too dry, add up to 1⁄4 cup water.
3. Drain vegetables, reserving liquid and vegetables separately.
4. Place cooked vegetables in blender and purée to smooth. If needed, add up to 3 tbsp cooking liquid, but only enough to help vegetables purée; the mixture should remain thick enough to pipe.

Make Romesco Sauce

1. Combine tomatoes, peppers, onions, almonds, vinegar, garlic, salt, chili flakes and saffron in blender. Purée until smooth.
2. Stir in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make Cheese Puff Dough

1. Fit a piping bag with 1⁄4″-diam. round tip. Set aside.
2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 425°F.
3. Add water and butter to medium pot over medium heat. Cook until butter is melted and water begins to give off steam, but before mixture comes to boil.
4. Add flour and salt all at once and stir with wooden spoon constantly, 2 minutes. Dough will come away from edge of pan and form a ball while flour cooks.
5. Remove from heat, and stir 2 more minutes to help cool down slightly.
6. While stirring, add 1 egg. Stir vigorously to prevent egg from cooking until incorporated into dough. Repeat with remaining eggs. When mixture is smooth and thick, scrape into piping bag

Assemble And Cook Cheese Puffs

1. Dab small amount of dough under each corner of parchment to hold paper in place.
2. Pipe small rounds — the size of small cherry tomatoes — onto parchment, about 1″ apart.
3. Sprinkle each with pinch of grated Manchego.
4. Bake 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F and bake until firm and golden, 20 to 25 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack.
5. Repeat with any remaining dough and cheese.
6. Wash out piping bag. Fill with squash filling. Poke small hole into bottom of each pastry and pipe in some squash filling.
7. Serve on platter with Romesco Sauce, good-quality green olives and slices of Manchego.