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| Galettes are a cookie in French Canada |
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| and a Buckwheat Crêpe Breakfast in France… |
One of my favorite posts on Facebook recently was the following: “You can’t expect everyone to love you. You are not pizza”. And neither is this fantastic concoction from Food and Wine’s Justin Chapple, even though Andrew insisted on calling it pizza right up to his first bite. Instead, its flaky, buttery crust plants it firmly in the Galette family. The Galettes are French, of course, and they are a large and very welcoming family. Galettes can be sweet or savory. They can appear as buckwheat crêpes in parts of France and in French Canada there are even cookies called Galettes. But generally, the term Galette is used to describe a free-form tart made with a flaky pastry crust. They are not made in tart pans. Instead, their fillings are placed smack in the middle of a sheet of rolled out pastry which is then folded up the keep the filling from running all over the baking sheet. They don’t require pre-baking or pie weights and, certainly in the case of Justin’s recipe, both pastry and topping become delightfully crisp when baked.
Most galettes are so free form that they are rustic, to say the least. Andrew has contributed several of these rustic tarts (see https://chewingthefat.us.com/2011/08/tartines-fruit-galettes-with-thanks-to.htmland https://chewingthefat.us.com/2011/08/tartines-fruit-galettes-with-thanks-to.html). I generally steer clear from any pastry making at all.
I mean when you live with a world-class baker, why wouldn’t I? But I was determined to make this recipe. I have to admit, we were richly rewarded here: The buttery, flaky crust smelled every bit as good as it tasted. The topping was tangy, cheesy, and subtly flavored with both potato and apple. It would make a perfect appetizer or, cut into smaller pieces, an hors d’oeuvre. Or you can even pair it with a salad for a light supper, as we did. There’s a bit of lag time while the pastry rests in the refrigerator but this is not at all labor intensive. And, unlike its messier cousins, Chapple’s recipe gives you a well-formed rectangle that presents beautifully. It is a huge help to have a mandolin available for the thinnest of slices of apple and potato. If not, a very sharp knife and a keen eye are highly recommended. Here is the recipe:
Recipe for Justin Chapple’s Red Potato and Apple Galette
Active Time: 50 mins. Total Time 2 hours and 30 mins. Makes one 11-by-15 inch galette
First, make the savory pie crust:
Active Time: 10 minutes. Total: 1 hour 10 mins.
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/3 cup ice water
1. In a food processor, pulse the flour with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with some pea-size pieces of butter still visible. Sprinkle the ice water over the mixture and pulse until the dough just starts to come together; you should still see small pieces of butter.
2. Scrape the dough out onto a work surface, gather up any crumbs and pat the dough into an 8-inch square. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until well-chilled, about 1 hour or for up to 2 days.
When the pastry has chilled for an hour, make the Galette:
1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 medium red potato, very thinly sliced, preferably on a mandoline
1 Granny Smith apple—halved, cored and very thinly sliced, preferably on a mandoline
Melted unsalted butter, for brushing
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water
1. Preheat the oven to 450°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 12-by-16-inch rectangle; transfer to the baking sheet.
3. Fold the dough edge over itself to form a 1/2-inch border all around and pinch the corners together. Refrigerate until firm.
4. Spread the crème fraîche and pecorino over the dough;
5. Top with overlapping slices of the potato and apple in rows.
6. Brush with butter, sprinkle with thyme and season with salt and pepper. Brush the edges with the egg wash.
7. Bake the galette in the bottom third of the oven for 25 minutes, or until the edges are slightly puffed. Cut into squares; serve warm or at room temperature.
That looks delicious, and it's apple season now. Something different, I look forward to making this! Thanks Monte!