For some unfathomable reason, my kitchen has no heating so in Winter it is the least hospitable part of the house. It means that at this time of year, I want to eat hot comforting food but I really don’t want to be cooking too much.

So inevitably I end up cooking too much and using the leftovers to make a meal on the following today, whether that’s boiled potatoes being roasted into a second meal, or as in the case roasted vegetable being used to make a tart on the following day. One of the great advantages of a cold kitchen is that the pastry inevitably turns out to be easy and very short. because it’s a free form tart, it’s quick and easy to knock up.

So either follow the recipe as written and cook the vegetables from fresh, or feel free to use it with any cooked vegetables left over from the ninth before. Butternut squash is great with oranges, but most root vegetables react well to a citrus lift.

Prep 30 min
Cook 1 hr 50 min
Serves 4

For the tart crust
100g plain flour
30g wholemeal flour
20g polenta
1½ tsp caster sugar
¾ tsp flaky salt
1 tbsp sage leaves, finely chopped (about 6 leaves)
80g unsalted butter, fridge-cold and cut into 1½cm cubes
20ml olive oil
60ml ice-cold water

For the filling
1 butternut squash, halved, deseeded and cut into ½cm-thick, skin-on half-moons (680g net weight)
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1cm rounds 
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to finish
2 tbsp finely chopped sage leaves, plus 3 whole, to garnish
2 tsp caraway seeds, toasted and rushed 
Flaky salt and black pepper
1 head garlic, top cut off to expose the bulbs
1 banana shallot, skin on, top trimmed to expose the flesh
2-3 oranges, zest finely grated, to get 1½ tsp, and juiced, to get 160ml
50ml maple syrup
125g mascarpone
1 small egg, beaten

Heat the oven to 240C (220C fan)/465F/gas 9. For the crust, whisk together the first six ingredients with a good grind of pepper. Add the butter and oil, then incorporate the butter by squashing each cube between your fingers – don’t over-work it, though: you want chunks throughout the dough, so only squash it lightly. Add the water, stir to combine, then use your hands to gather the dough together – it will be quite sticky.

Transfer to a very well-floured work surface and roll into a 28cm x 18cm rectangle, flouring the rolling pin, surface and pastry as you go. Fold the longer ends in towards each other, so they meet in the middle, then roll out once. Now fold in the shorter ends to meet in the middle, roll out once more, then fold in half, so you end up with a square. Use your hands to stretch the dough into a 14cm circle, then wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While the dough is chilling, toss the squash and carrots in the oil, a tablespoon of chopped sage, the caraway, a teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Spread out on two large oven trays lined with baking paper; don’t worry if there is some overlap. Drizzle the garlic and shallot with a little oil, wrap both separately in foil, and put on one tray.

Roast the butternut and carrots for 25 minutes, or until golden brown, then remove from the oven. Leave the garlic and shallot to roast for 15 minutes more, then remove and, once cool enough to handle, squeeze out the flesh and finely chop. 

Turn down the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface and roll out into a 30cm circle, dusting the rolling pin as you go. Gently lift the dough on to a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and refrigerate for another 30 minutes.

Put the orange juice and maple syrup in a medium saucepan on a medium-high heat and cook for about 10 minutes, or until it reduces to the consistency of a thick, sticky syrup.

In a small bowl, mix the mascarpone with the chopped roast garlic and shallot, the orange zest and remaining chopped sage. Season with a pinch of salt and plenty of pepper, and stir again to combine.

Spread the mascarpone mixture over the dough, leaving a 4cm border around the edge. Scatter the butternut and carrot haphazardly over the top, to cover, then drizzle over the orange caramel.

Fold the edges of the pastry up and over the filling, brush the exposed pastry with the egg, then bake for 30 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Leave to cool for 20 minutes, then serve with the remaining sage leaves roughly torn over the top.