Butternut Squash Galette

A while back I was desperate to use up a butternut squash and I really wanted to try something different.  I ran across a recipe for Butternut Squash Galette on a fabulous food blog called smittenkitchen.com.  The recipe looked pretty simple so I gave it a try and I'm so glad I did.  This recipe is fabulous!  I have made it a few times now and put my own little twist to it and it has become one of my favorite dishes!  This dish looks beautiful for company, just add a nice green salad and a crust french bread and you are set!  

If making homemade crust scares you, feel free to use store bought crust, I'm sure it will still be delicious.  However, if you are new to making pastry, I would try this recipe!  It is an easy recipe to make and the dough is very forgiving.  Unlike regular pastry, the dough was easy to roll out and didn't stick to my board at all even though I dusted it with very little flour.  The dough makes an incredibly tender crust that I can only attribute to the sour cream and lemon juice (which you cannot taste, in case you were worried).  So....don't be so afraid of pastry....give it a try!!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH GALETTE

Pastry:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/4 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup ice water 

In a bowl, combine the flour and salt and add the butter, using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Make a well in the center. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add this mixture to the well. Stir until dough forms ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Filling:

1 small butternut squash (about one pound)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 to 2 tablespoons butter 

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced in half-moons

pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

3/4 cup gruyere cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces), grated 

2 oz pancetta, cooked and crumbled

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Peel squash and cut into 1 inch pieces. Toss pieces with olive oil and salt and roast on foil lined (for neatness sake) sheet for 20 minutes or until pieces are tender, turning it midway if your oven bakes unevenly. Set aside to cool slightly.

While squash is roasting, melt butter in a heavy skillet and cook onion over low heat with pinch of salt, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Stir in cayenne.

Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Mix squash, caramelized onions, cheese, pancetta and sage together in a bowl.

Assemble galette: On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread squash, onions, cheese and herb 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, about 30 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. 

Recipe adapted from Smittenkitchen.com

Recipe shared on:
Foodie Friends Friday