Food ‘n Flix – It’s Complicated

After missing a few months, I am finally back for the September Food ‘n Flix movie, hosted by France at Beyond the Peel.  The movie for this month was It’s Complicated, starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, and Steve Martin.  Streep and Baldwin play a couple that have been divorced for over a decade but fall into an affair with each other after their youngest leaves for college – despite Baldwin being remarried and his cheating being the reason for their divorce in the first place.  Martin plays a new love interest for Streep who she could really hit it off with – if her affair with her ex wasn’t always getting in the way!

In the film, Streep owns a bakery and is an amazing home cook (her food being one of the things Baldwin misses most about her).  I was inspired by her gorgeous vegetable garden and her pastry skills to try a new version of my Squash Galette.

I finally bought a mandoline and this was the first time I got to use it!  I got pretty good results and didn’t slice any digits off, so I am happy!

After thinly slicing a zucchini and yellow squash (using whatever method you prefer), lay them out on paper towels and sprinkle with salt, then allow them to drain for 30 minutes.  This removes some of the moisture so that you don’t end up with a soggy pastry.

Lay the slices out onto a round of pastry dough spread with a Ricotta (I used homemade), Parmesan, and Mozzarella mixture and fold up the edges to form a galette.  I actually didn’t like the dough that I made this time (which used cream cheese and was more like a pie dough) as much as the crust from the original (which used sour cream and lemon juice and was more flaky like a croissant).  The recipe I tried this time also included honey in the filling mixture, which I wouldn’t do again.

Bake until golden brown for a flaky, cheesy, delicious summer treat and eat it with someone you love.

Squash Galette
adapted from Eat Yourself Skinny

Crust:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
8 Tbsp light butter, cold
2 oz light cream cheese
1/4 cup of ice water, adding an additional tablespoon if necessary

Filling:
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow summer squash
1 clove garlic
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 Tbsp honey
1 egg white
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Egg wash:
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. water

Topping:
1 Tbsp olive oil
Fresh basil

In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt.  Cut in cold butter until mixture looks course chunks and then cut in cream cheese until the clumps are no bigger than peas, then mix in 1/4 cup of ice water.  Feel free to add an additional tablespoon of water, if needed.  Shape dough into a disc, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge.

While the dough is chilling, make the filling.  Slice zucchini and squash, laying out your slices on sheets of paper towels.  Sprinkle a little salt on each piece and sit for 30 minutes, allowing paper towels to soak up the water.  Blot dry and set aside.

For the filling, whisk together ricotta cheese, egg white, garlic, honey, thyme, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Lightly flour a flat surface and roll out the dough into a 12-14 inch circle.  Place rolled out dough on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and spread ricotta mixture over dough, stopping about 2 inches from the edge.  Arrange zucchini and squash over top of the mixture, overlapping as needed, and fold over the edges of the dough.  You want your pie to look like an even circle.

Whisk together egg yolk and a teaspoon of water and brush mixture over top of the crust.  Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top and place pie in the oven for about 40 to 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh basil, if desired.

1/4 of galette: 500 cal, 25.5 g fat, 45 g carbs, 21 g protein