Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Rustic onion & chard galette

When recipes call for making dough, I've always been intimidated. I'm the type of cook that doesn't measure, but adds a little of this and that. I associate dough with an arduous process with very precise measurements and fancy appliances. I always think back to the two older ladies, Grace and Catherine, that watched my siblings and I when we were kids. They'd spend the early morning in the kitchen, rolling out dough into the most perfect biscuits to enjoy with lunch.

But I decided to give this recipe I shot. And I was wrong. This recipe was super easy and didn't require fancy appliances. I'm excited to make this galette with asparagus in the next few weeks. This might be my favorite new recipe.

Rustic Galette
adapted from Bauman College
1 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c cornmeal
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp minced parsley or basil
7 tbsp butter
1/4 c water
Goat cheese to garnish

Mix together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and herbs. Cut in the butter, tbsp by tbsp, and mix in with your hands. Add the water little by little, massaging into the dough with your hands. Roll into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

While the dough is chilling, prepare the filling. I caramelized onions and sauteed swiss chard with garlic. Fill free to experiment with different fillings: roasted beets, honey and balsamic; pesto, leeks, potatoes, asparagus; or roasted garlic, zucchini, eggplant, tomato and feta.

Preheat oven to 350. The wheat flour might make the dough a bit tough, so set it out for 15 minutes or so until it's easier to work with. The warmth of your hands will always help make the dough softer. Working on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough until it's about 1/8 inch thick (or thicker if you'd like). You can also cut the dough in half to make two smaller pies instead of one larger one. Spread the filling in the center, but leave 2 to 3 inches to the edge. Roll the edges up, folding them over the filling. Bake 20 to 30 minutes. Top with goat cheese (optional). Enjoy!

2 comments:

Lisa Michelle Cifuentes said...

Oooh, this looks delicious!

Mike said...

Cooking is always a lot easier then you think. That's what I find. The thing you find hard you later look back and say that was a breeze.