Baked Squash Galette
Each bite of this fragrant tart encapsulates the beauty of Fall and nostalgia of Thanksgiving.
Assembling it is a little more complicated than most of my recipes, but if you take it a step at a time, you will have great success.
The pastry is unbelievably easy to make in the food processor. It comes together in minutes and rolls out so easily between two sheets of floured parchment. Once rolled out, simply slide the pastry with the parchment onto a baking sheet. After it is baked, it easy to slide the tart off the parchment onto a serving plate.
Although you may be tempted to substitute the already cut-up chunks of butternut squash for the fresh slices, I don't advise it. All fruits and veggies lose something when cut ahead and a large part of the appeal of this galette is cutting the slices fairly uniform in size.
I am definitely the queen of make ahead, so when I make this, I refrigerate the pastry 3 days ahead. I slice the squash and store it in a baggie in the fridge 2 days ahead (cutting the squash is the most time consuming task in this recipe) and then complete and bake it the day of the party. I guarantee that when you serve this you will be rewarded with compliments.
1. Squash and Red Onion ready to roast
2. Thinly slice kabocha and cut off peel.
3. Spread sour cream leaving a 2-inch border. Top with cheese and veggies.
4. Fold edges over the veggies, pleating as you go.
Roasted Two Squash and Red Onion Galette
Dough
1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ tsp. granulated sugar
¼ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. coarse black pepper
4½ oz. (9 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces
4 to 5 Tbs. ice water
1 egg mixed with 1 tsp. cream or milk, for wash
Filling
1 lb. butternut squash with peel, 1¾ cups sliced
1 lb. kabocha squash with peel, 1¾ cups sliced
1 small red onion, peeled and cut through the core into 1/3-inch wedges
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1½ tsp. curry powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground coriander
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup shredded Manchego cheese
- To make dough: In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, salt and pepper to combine. Add the butter pieces, and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal with some pea-size pieces. Sprinkle with 4 Tbs. of the water, and pulse until the dough comes together. If too dry, add the remaining water by the teaspoon, and pulse until the dough just comes together.
- Form the dough into a disk by putting it between two sheets of plastic wrap, and pressing it into an 8-inch round. Wrap it tightly in more plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
MAKE AHEAD: Pastry may be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before rolling it out. - To make the filling: Position rack in bottom rung of oven and preheat to 450°. Peel seed and slice the squash into 1/3-inch thick slices. Cut each slice in half. (For ease in cutting and peeling the kabocha, microwave it for 2 to 3 minutes until just soft enough to cut.) You should have 1 3/4 cups of each.
- On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss squash and onion with oil, curry, cumin and coriander. Arrange in a single layer and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes until squash is barely tender. It will finish baking in the crust. Cool to room temperature. Move oven rack to center of oven and leave temperature at 450 degrees.
- To roll dough: Roll the pastry between 2 sheets of lightly floured parchment into a 13-inch round. Loosen the top parchment from the dough occasionally and add a bit more flour if it sticks. Transfer on the parchment to a baking sheet; remove and discard the top sheet of parchment.
- To assemble galette: Spread the sour cream over the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Arrange the squash and onion over the sour cream and sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over the top. Fold the edge of the dough up and over the vegetables, crimping and folding it as you go. (If the pastry is too soft to work with, refrigerate it on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes or until pliable.) Brush pastry with egg wash. (You will not use it all.)
- Bake the galette for 25 to 30 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
MAKE AHEAD: Galette may be baked and held at room temperature for 4 hours. Rewarm in 350° oven for 8 to 10 minutes. - Sprinkle top with cheese, cut into wedges and serve warm.
Serves 6 to 8.
