Vegetable Galette

Vegetable Galette

Serves: 4 – 6 as a main, 8 as appetizer

Vegetable Galette

Galette is a French term that refers to a variety of flat round cakes, usually made with flaky pastry dough of some kind that can be sweet or savory. I love them. These “tarts” are not molded in tart pans. Instead, filling is placed directly on top of a sheet of rolled out pastry and the edges of that pastry are folded up and around the filling. The tart becomes crisp during baking and the galette, as a whole, manages to be both rustic and elegant at the same time. There are no galette rules or galette police – so feel free to shape them however you want and fill with what is left in your refrigerator. There are so many possibilities. I will share one today – based on what is left in my refrigerator – and also give some suggestions for other combinations.

 

A few veggies from my 'fridge. You can use whatever is in there!

Today I was faced with a pile of wonderful cherry tomatoes from the farmers market.  And, though I said you could put anything into your galette – one does have to be careful with wet things…like tomatoes. Tart crusts need to stay dry. Hence, my dilemma. But this has never stopped me from trying again, and I’m glad, because it led me to this rendition. Because it is a mixture of vegetables, and not exclusively tomatoes, there is not as much moisture fighting its way out. Cherry tomatoes are smaller and less wet than say, big heirlooms, plus they were cooked a bit first, letting out some of their juiciness and also concentrating their flavor in the pan.

For the pastry:

• 1¼ C all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 8 Tb (4 oz) cold butter, cut up & chilled
• ¼ C plain yogurt or sour cream
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• ¼ C ice water

Filling:

• 1 Tb Extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• Red pepper flakes
• 3 C cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 5-6 cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 1 ear corn, cut from cob
• 1 bundle scallions, thinly sliced
• ½ C grated Parmesan cheese (divided) and 1 tsp more for crust
• ½ caramelized onion – optional
• Glaze: 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water
• Coarse finishing salt

To make pastry dough: Whisk flour and salt in large bowl. Sprinkle the small cold butter cubes and using fingers or pastry blender – work the butter into the flour until it looks like a coarse meal. Whisk yogurt, lemon juice and ice water in a small bowl.  Add to the butter-flour mixture.  With fingers or a wooden spoon, mix, rubbing the butter cubes into the pastry dough so it looks like streaks of butter scattered throughout the pastry. Once blended, form into a ball and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 2 days.

 

Early stage batter with butter chunks

To make filling: Heat sauté pan with olive oil, add cherry tomatoes, salt and red pepper flakes in pan, close with tight lid, and heat on high. Shake pan and allow tomatoes to roll around so they cook evenly and lightly brown. You will hear the cherry tomatoes pop as they burst!  When most have popped, decrease heat, remove lid and add zucchini chunks and mushrooms. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add corn, sauté 1 minute. Add scallions, stir in and turn off heat. Check seasoning, adding salt and pepper as desired. Add caramelized onions if desired. Pour into a large colander to allow excess liquid to drain and filling to cool.

Cooking the cherry tomatoes until they POP.

After adding all of the veggies

Take dough out of refrigerator. Allow it to warm slightly (few minutes) but just long enough so you can easily roll it out into a 12” round. Put on parchment lined baking sheet. Leaving drained liquid behind put tomatoes, zucchini, corn, and mushroom mixture with ¼ C Parmesan in center of dough. Sprinkle the remainder of Parmesan on top. Roll up pastry edges, pleating to make it fit and leaving the center open. Brush crust with egg yolk glaze. Sprinkle glaze with a small amount of Parmesan cheese and coarse finishing salt.

12 inch round dough

Adding the veggies and folding the dough

After glazing with egg and cooking, it looks like this!

Preheat oven to 400-degree F. Bake in warmed oven for 30-40 minutes until puffed and golden. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. It is wonderful served warm or room temperature. There are also so many other possibilities to explore. For example try wild mushrooms and Stilton blue cheese, or roasted butternut squash (love them!!) with sage and caramelized onions. Just peek in your refrigerator; I am sure there are some amazing possibilities. It begs for a big green salad and a glass of dry white wine and frankly, so do I.

Bon Appetit!

Larue