Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette
Last fall, my friend Melissa brought my attention to a butternut squash galette recipe on Smitten Kitchen. I didn’t get around to making it and sorely regretted it all year. So this year I determined to make it as soon as it started to get chilly out. Boy, am I glad I did! A sweet and creamy filling wrapped up in a flaky, buttery crust – there is nothing better.
I roasted the butternut squash with olive oil and caramelized the onions in butter. The kitchen was smelling fantastic at this point! Then I mixed the vegetables with sage and fontina cheese.
I rolled out my dough, spread the filling in the center, and folded up the edges of the dough. Then I baked it until the crust was golden brown.
Wild Mushroom and Gorgonzola Galette
While I was reading the post on the butternut squash galette, I notice a link to a wild mushroom galette that also looked perfect for Fall. I figured, as long as I am making the dough for one galette, why not do two?
This filling is much more earthy with a heavy funk from the combination of mushrooms and blue cheese. If you don’t like either of these ingredients (like my poor husband), you will not like this dish. But if you (like me) are a fan of the funk, then this is going to be right up your alley.
Choose your favorite combination of mushrooms – I used cremini, oyster, maitake, and porcini – and saute in butter with garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Mix in the blue cheese (I used Gorgonzola dolce) and spread onto the dough.
Fold up the edges of the dough and bake until golden brown.
Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Serves 4
I find the original instructions for the dough to be a bit impractical, so instead of trying to cut rock hard frozen butter into frozen flour, I cut them together first, then freeze them. Likewise, I find cold dough harder to roll out – so instead of chilling the dough first then rolling it out, I roll it out as soon as it’s mixed, then chill it on the baking sheet before filling and baking.
For the pastry:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup ice water
For the filling:
1 small butternut squash (about one pound)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 to 2 tbsp butter (if you have only non-stick, the smaller amount will do)
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced in half-moons
1 tsp salt
Pinch of sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne, or to taste
3/4 cup fontina cheese (about 2 1/2 oz), grated or cut into small bits
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh sage leaves
Make pastry: In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Place the bowl into the freezer for 30 minutes. Take the bowl out of the freezer. Make a well in the center of the mixture. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add half of this mixture to the well. With your fingertips, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Remove the large lumps and repeat with the remaining liquid and flour-butter mixture. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough. On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator until needed.
Prepare squash: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Peel squash, then halve and scoop out seeds. Cut into a 1/2-inch dice. Toss squash pieces with olive oil and 1/2 tsp of the salt and roast on a baking sheet for 30 minutes or until pieces are tender, turning it midway if your oven bakes unevenly. Set aside to cool slightly.
Caramelize onions: While squash is roasting, melt butter in a heavy skillet (stainless steel works best for caramelizing) and cook onion over low heat with the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt and pinch of sugar, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in cayenne.
Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Mix squash, caramelized onions, cheese and herbs together in a bowl.
Assemble galette: Spread squash mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold the border over the squash, onion and cheese mixture, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.
Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.
Wild Mushroom and Gorgonzola Galette
adapted from Williams Sonoma via Smitten Kitchen
serves 4-6
See my notes on alterations to the dough recipe above. I was unable to find Stilton (as per the original recipe), so I used Gorgonzola Dolce and it turned out great.
For the pastry:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup ice water
For the filling:
1/4 oz dried wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, porcini or shiitakes
1 cup boiling water
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup sliced green onions
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 lb assorted fresh wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, porcini, shiitakes, oyster or maitake, brushed clean and large mushrooms thinly sliced
1/2 lb fresh button or cremini mushrooms, brushed clean and thinly sliced
5 oz Stilton or other good-quality blue cheese
Make pastry: In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Place the bowl into the freezer for 30 minutes. Take the bowl out of the freezer. Make a well in the center of the mixture. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add half of this mixture to the well. With your fingertips, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Remove the large lumps and repeat with the remaining liquid and flour-butter mixture. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough. On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator until needed.
Meanwhile, make the filling: Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and add the boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes until softened. Drain the mushrooms and mince finely.
Preheat an oven to 400°F.
In a large fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the green onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary and thyme and continue to cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Increase the heat to high, add the fresh and rehydrated mushrooms, and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the liquid they released has completely evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
Crumble the blue cheese into the bowl with the cooled mushrooms and stir well. Spread the mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold the border over the mushrooms and cheese, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.
Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.