Savory Cheese Galette Recipes

SAVORY CHEESE GALETTE

Steps:

• Make the filling:
• In a food processor blend together the Roquefort, cut into pieces, the cream, the wine, the egg yolk, the flour, and salt and pepper to taste until the filling is smooth.
• In a bowl combine the flour, the sugar, and the salt, add the butter, and blend the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Stir in the eggs and on a lightly floured surface knead the dough lightly for several seconds, or until it is combined. Divide the dough in half, form each half into a ball, and chill the dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 1 hour.
• On the lightly floured surface roll out each ball of dough into a 10-inch round. Press 1 of the dough rounds into the bottom and 3/4 inch up the side of a buttered 9-inch round cake pan, spread the filling evenly over the bottom of the dough with a narrow metal spatula, and sprinkle it with the almonds. Using the tip of the spatula, cleaned, fold the edge of the dough over the filling. Arrange the remaining dough round on top of the filling and with the spatula press the edge of the top round between the bottom round and the side of the pan, enclosing the filling and sealing the galette. Score the top in a diamond pattern with a fork, brush the dough with the egg wash, and chill the galette for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours. Bake the galette in the middle of a preheated 400°F. oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until it is golden brown, and let it cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of the galette, turn the galette out carefully onto a plate, and invert it onto the rack. Let the galette cool completely and serve it, cut into thin wedges, with the grapes.

SUMMER VEGETABLE GALETTE

Steps:

• In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, or in a large bowl, pulse or mix together the flours, sugar, and salt. In a measuring cup, lightly beat the egg, then add just enough cream to get to 1/3 cup. Lightly whisk the egg and cream together.
• Add butter to flour mixture and pulse or use a pastry cutter or your fingers to break up the butter. If using a food processor, do not over-process; you need chickpea-size chunks of butter. Drizzle the egg mixture (up to 1/4 cup) over the dough and pulse or stir until it just starts to come together but is still mostly large crumbs. Mix in lemon juice and zest if using.
• Put the dough on lightly floured counter and knead to make one uniform piece. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill for 2 hours, or up to 3 days.
• When you are ready to make the tart, roll out dough to a 12-inch round (it can be ragged). Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and chill while preparing the filling.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread out eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes in one layer on three separate sheet pans or cookie sheets. Drizzle generously with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables, tossing zucchini and eggplant occasionally, 35 to 40 minutes. Eggplant and tomatoes will be golden at the edges; zucchini will be tender. Don't let the vegetables get too dark because they will continue to brown in the tart. Transfer vegetables to a bowl (you want to have about 3 cups of them) and toss with chile peppers.
• Decrease oven temperature to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine goat cheese, garlic and thyme leaves. Spread mixture in a thin layer over crust, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border all around. Arrange vegetables evenly over goat cheese. Fold up edges of crust, pleating to hold it in (sloppy is fine). Brush pastry generously with leftover egg and cream mixture.
• Transfer galette to oven and bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

GALETTES COMPLèTES (BUCKWHEAT CREPES)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk 3 eggs with 1 cup water until frothy and uniform. Sift in buckwheat flour, and whisk until as smooth as a new can of paint. Season with salt and whisk to combine. Cover batter and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours).
• Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low. Ladle in 1/4 cup of batter, then quickly tilt the pan in a clockwise motion to swirl the batter all the way to the edges into a perfectly round, very thin pancake. The batter should disperse quickly; if it is too thick - and doesn't swiftly radiate to cover the width of the pan - you'll need to stir a few extra tablespoons of water into the batter and try again with a second crepe. Expect to lose the first two or three crepes as you get used to the swirling motion, the amount of batter to add and the hotness of the pan. When all three factors align, you can make six savory crepes in about as many minutes.
• When you feel you have the hang of it and are ready to go live, ladle in 1/4 cup batter, swirl and allow crepe to set for just 10 seconds. Crack an egg in the center, and use the back of a spoon or a small rubber spatula to spread the egg white, which will allow the egg to cook evenly in the amount of time it will take the cheese to melt and the galette to crisp. Sprinkle about 1/3 cup Gruyère across the surface, then tear 2 or 3 pieces of ham and set them flat on top, surrounding the egg yolk.
• Allow the crepe to crisp up and brown on the bottom while the egg cooks sunny side up, and the ham warms through, 3 to 4 minutes. In Brittany, these are cooked on a large, round cast-iron griddle, and the four sides of the galette are folded in to become a large square before being slid onto a plate. This is harder to do in a slope-sided pan, but try it if it suits you - you'll want to fold the sides about 1 minute before the egg is done cooking. Otherwise, an open round is just fine. Slide it onto a plate, and repeat with remaining galettes.
• Season with salt and pepper. Drink with hard cider, not too cold.