Fall Festive Treats! With Chef Ryan Scott, The Southern Girl Bakery & DK's Bakery in Santa Monica

Ryan Scott from Food Rush gave us some simple and yummy at home recipes for fall appetizers that will delight your guests. Scroll down for the great recipes! Also at the end of the page is this past weeks episode, which details even more greta fall food, enjoy!


Kabocha Squash & Ricotta Cheese Bruschetta, A fresh alternative to the traditional Bruschetta appetizer. Makes approximately 36 appetizer size pieces or 12 large servings


Ingredients!
1   2-3 pound Kabocha Squash
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2-3 tablespoons good cider vinegar
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil or more to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or more to taste
Fresh sage leaves
Vegetable oil for frying sage leaves
Pepitas
Pomegranate seeds
Small whole wheat baguette 2-3 inch diameter, sliced
Crusty loaf of country wheat bread, sliced

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Oil the bottom of a glass 13 x 9 inch baking dish.

Cut the squash in quarters and remove the seeds.

Put the squash in the prepared pan and drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake until the squash in tender, about 45 minutes.

Careful not to overcook the Kabocha squash. It will dry out.

When the squash is tender, mash in a bowl adding olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Add the vinegar.

Mix the ricotta cheese with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Fry the sage leaves in the vegetable oil.  Drain and set aside.

Place the bread on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil.

Broil until lightly toasted.

Spread the pumpkin mixture on the bread.

Top with ricotta cheese mixture.

Crumble sage leaves on top and sprinkle with pepitas and a few pomegranate seeds.



Chef Ryan Scott's Maple Sugar Pumpkin Turnovers
Using prepared puff pastry makes these unique variations on the traditional turnover easy to make.
Makes 18 Servings

Ingredients

1 pound fresh pumpkin, cubed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup apple juice
1 cinnamon stick
4 tablespoons maple syrup
pinch of nutmeg
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
Melted butter
Maple sugar, to sprinkle on turnovers

Directions

Melt butter in a heavy pot.

Add pumpkin, apple juice, cinnamon stick, nutmeg and maple syrup.

Sauté covered until pumpkin is tender, stirring occasionally. 30 minutes.

Remove cinnamon stick and mash or puree the pumpkin until smooth.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll out puff pastry into a 12 X 12 inch square and cut each sheet into 9- 4 inch squares.

Combine the egg and water to make a wash.

Spoon the pumpkin into the center of pastry squares, brush the edges
with the egg wash. Fold over, corner to corner.
Using the tines of a fork, crimp the edges closed.

Brush the tops of the turnovers with melted butter
and sprinkle with maple sugar.

Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden, about 20 minutes.

Remove and cool on a wire rack.