Why It Works
- Pre-cooking the vegetables tenderizes them and reduces their moisture.
- An egg wash gives the pastry a glossy sheen, and helps seal the edges.
Galettes aren't merely as easy as pie, they're easier. These free-form tarts with a flaky pie crust are the perfect vehicle for savory seasonal vegetables. Here, I'm using asparagus as the featured vegetable, and rounding it out with leeks and mushrooms, for some extra meatiness and earthiness.
To prepare the filling, I sauté the mushrooms first to brown them, then add asparagus-stalk segments and cooked it all together until tender; I reserve the asparagus tips, adding them raw on top of the filling, since they cook through more quickly, and make for a more beautiful presentation when they're not hidden in the depths of the filling. At the same time, I melted diced leeks until very soft and silky, then mixed them with the asparagus and mushrooms.
Finally, I folded grated fontina into the filling. You could use many other good melters, such as Gruyère, Jack, or mozzarella, or a cheese like feta that will keeps its shape and add a briny punch.
For a more extensive discussion of how to make vegetable galettes, see the intro to my broccoli and cheese galette recipe.
May 2019
Recipe Details
Asparagus, Mushroom, Leek, and Cheese Galette Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 batch Old-Fashioned Flaky Pie Dough
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (75ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
1 pound (450g) mixed mushrooms, such as cremini, stemmed and caps sliced 1/4 inch thick
Kosher salt
1 pound (450g) asparagus, woody ends trimmed, stalks cut on the bias 1/4 inch thick, tips reserved
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
4 tablespoons (60g) unsalted butter unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise then cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick half-moons
2 ounces (55g) grated Fontina cheese
1 large egg
Directions
Prepare Old-Fashioned Flaky Pie Dough according to the recipe. After rolling, folding, and dividing dough in half, roll one portion into a 14-inch round. Transfer to a parchment-lined aluminum rimmed baking sheet, cover with plastic, and refrigerate to relax and chill dough, at least 2 hours or up to 24.
In a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet, heat 4 tablespoons (60ml) olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 6 minutes.
Stir in asparagus stalks, thyme, and the remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil. Lower heat to medium and cook, tossing and stirring, until asparagus is tender, about 8 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons (45ml) water to skillet, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Season with salt and remove from heat.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat until foaming. Add leeks and cook, stirring, until very soft, about 8 minutes. Lower heat if necessary to prevent browning. Season with salt.
Add the leeks to the asparagus mixture along with the cheese and stir to combine.
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 400°F (205°C). Spread asparagus-leek mixture on prepared dough round, leaving about a 2-inch border of dough all around. With a sharp knife, cut a series of slits in the border of dough, each running from filling to edge of dough, spacing them about 5 inches apart. Fold each segment of dough over filling, tugging gently so the edge of each segment tightly overlaps the one that came before. Chill galette for 10 minutes in the refrigerator.
In a small bowl, drizzle reserved asparagus tips with olive oil, season with salt, and toss to coat lightly and evenly. Arrange asparagus tips on top of exposed filling in center of the galette.
Brush egg over chilled dough in a thin, even layer (including under each flap). This will give the crust a glossy, golden sheen and help bind the pieces together.
Bake until galette is golden brown around the edges and bubbling in the center, about 45 minutes longer. Let cool 5 minutes, then slice into wedges and serve warm.
Special Equipment
Large sauté pan, large saucepan, or saucier; rimmed baking sheet; parchment paper
Make-Ahead and Storage
The galette can be held at room temperature (and served warm or at room temperature) for a few hours after making. Leftovers can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated, then reheated in a warm oven.
Read More
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
---|---|
431 | Calories |
30g | Fat |
35g | Carbs |
7g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings: 4 to 8 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 431 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 30g | 39% |
Saturated Fat 11g | 55% |
Cholesterol 47mg | 16% |
Sodium 485mg | 21% |
Total Carbohydrate 35g | 13% |
Dietary Fiber 3g | 11% |
Total Sugars 4g | |
Protein 7g | |
Vitamin C 8mg | 40% |
Calcium 91mg | 7% |
Iron 3mg | 14% |
Potassium 303mg | 6% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |