On the second Tuesday of the month, you can often find me at OKC’s Culture Hub, squinting at a mat scattered with seed beads, pricking my fingers with a needle (not on purpose), and laughing. At first glance, you might think the Hub is just a cool-looking little house tucked inside a run-down neighborhood. But it’s a lot more than that: It’s a space created by communities of color to connect communities of color.
We meet at a big wooden table inside the building. Surrounding me are usually a half dozen other women of all ages. Indigenous women. Accomplished women. Most importantly, women who are there to support each other.
On Tuesdays, we connect over Native American beading class. We spend these nights threading needles, chatting about the latest episode of “Reservation Dogs,” sharing stories, and — you guessed it — eating.
We eat potluck-style, and I usually show up with a little something special I whipped up in the kitchen. Those nights and those women are the inspiration behind these acorn squash and juniper berry puff tarts. Not only are these little bites a nod to our shared Indigenous food history, they’re also perfect for any holiday table.
This recipe features squash — part of the Three Sisters tradition — and toasted juniper berries. The results are as pretty as tarts but simpler to make, and equally satisfying. It’s a fast affair and most of the work can be prepped a day or two ahead of time. Even better, these beautiful hors d'oeuvres are the perfect excuse to pull out your mandolin or take a crack at making homemade dough (although store-bought does the job nicely).
Juniper berries are less well-known. In fact, they aren’t berries but seed cones from the juniper tree, and have been used in our culture as medicine brewed into teas and used in food. The toasted berries release a woodsy, piney flavor that lends itself well to baking. Best of all, you won’t need to forage your berries. A few clicks, and Amazon will deliver a jar to your doorstep.
When you do bake your puff tarts, make sure to do it with “good medicine.” To my people, that means to do something with love and good intentions. Let that be a guide for all of your projects in the kitchen this holiday season. Happy baking!
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash (butternut can work in a pinch)
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried juniper berries
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey, more for glazing
- 1 ½ tablespoons sunflower oil
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 package prepared puff pastry
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon water
Preparation
METHOD
Rinse and cut off the ends of the acorn squash. Then, cut lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
Set a mandolin to the thinnest setting and slice the halves on the short end, making rippled half-circles.
In a small pan, heat juniper berries on medium-high heat for a few minutes until shiny and fragrant.
Add toasted junipers to a mortar and pestle with sugar and grind by hand until finely crushed.
In a medium bowl, gently toss squash slices with honey, sunflower oil, salt, and two teaspoons of the ground juniper.
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Add squash to a foil-lined baking sheet and cover with another sheet of tinfoil. Roast for 5 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
Roll out one of your chilled pastry sheets and cut each one into six even horizontal strips. Gently pock each strip with a fork.
Lightly add 1/4 teaspoon of crushed junipers as evenly as possible to each strip, pressing gently into the dough. On the top half of the dough, add half-circles of squash, covering end to end, with rippled sides above the dough. It’s okay if they overlap.
Fold the bottom half of the pastry up, covering the bottom ends of the slices. Then, from one end to the other, firmly roll each one up. Mix your egg and water and brush the edges with a pastry brush.
Place each in the cup of a muffin tin and chill in the freezer for 15-20 minutes until the dough is firm.
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is lightly golden.
While still warm, gently glaze the tops with honey and sprinkle with remaining juniper.
