Butternut squash, leek, and brie galette
So this blog is supposed to be all about the delightful contrast between really healthy vegetarian recipes and delicious slightly sinful baked goods. This particular recipe tows the line as it is not a baked good but it is also definitely not a healthy vegetarian recipe. However, it is so absurdly delicious that I must give it a massive plug. My eye was drawn to its picture on Tastespotting, and I actually had it bookmarked on my computer for months until I could find a suitable occasion to make it. When I had a dinner party for 6 women one night I knew this would be perfect and decided to serve it as a starter. As an added bonus, when I went shopping at the farmer’s market that morning, I was able to find fresh butternut squash, leeks, rosemary and brie all in one place. The fresher the ingredients you can get for this, the better, as there actually aren’t that many ingredients that make up the galette.
There is a bit of time investment required to make this dish but it’s honestly not that hard at all. I was pleasantly surprised at just how quickly the dough came together – perhaps proof that the more butter you add to something, the easier it is?
Butternut squash and leek galette (adapted from Strawberry Plum)
- 2 c. flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 12 Tbsp. (170 grams) unsalted butter, cut into ½ in. pieces and very cold
- Ice water (or very cold water)
- Pinch of sea salt
For the filling:
- 1 butternut squash (should be about 1 kilo / 2 lbs), peeled and cut into fairly small chunks
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, minced
- 2 leeks, white and light green parts cut into ¼ in. rounds (see my prior post for a more detailed description on how to cut leeks)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 4 oz. brie
- 1 egg
Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Scatter the cold butter pieces over the dry ingredients and cut in using 2 knives or a pastry cutter (or pulse, if using a food processor) until most of the butter pieces are pea-sized. Sprinkle water (1 Tbsp. at a time) over the mixture and gently combine with a rubber spatula (or in my case, heavily floured hands) until the dough comes together. The dough will probably require 5-7 tablespoons of water. Knead the dough in the bowl or on a floured surface and roll into a ball once it’s all come together. Wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for at least half an hour.
While the squash is roasting, spray a pot with non-stick spary and put in the leeks and garlic. Over medium high heat, sauté the leeks and garlic until the garlic is fragrant and the leeks have softened, 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
When the squash is done, dump in your cooked leeks, stir it up, taste the mixture, and season with more salt and pper if necessary. Allow to cool to room temperature or refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the galette. You could do everything up to this point a day ahead, if you like, as the crust will keep in the fridge well wrapped for a day or so.
When you’re ready to bake the galette, place the chilled crust dough on a lightly floured surface and roll into a large, thin circle, about 35 cm / 14 inches in diameter. Mound the cooled filling in the centre, leaving about a 4 cm / 2 inch border. Dot the top with the brie. Fold the edges up over the filling.
Whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water and use it to brush the edges of the galette. (this will ensure the crust browns nicely) Sprinkle the edges with a pinch of sea salt, if desired. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 190 C / 375 F until the crust is golden, about 40 minutes. Make sure to check at 30 minutes or so. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting (it will hold together better). You can serve it warm or at room temperature. I made mine ahead of time and warmed in the oven again before serving it.
The lovely buttery galette dough
Butternut squash ready to roast
Cooking the leeks in the pan
Cooked butternut squash mixed with the softened leeks
The mixture on top of the rolled out dough
Fold up the sides and then dot the top with Brie
Glorious lightly browned finished product
No wonder the French people love their food so much. This galette is just damn tasty. I loved that there wasn’t that much crust so it was all about the delicious hearty filling, and the Brie melted into it and wasn’t overpowering at all but just added a delightful creaminess to the squash. It’s rather rich, but certainly not rich enough so that people didn’t want to go back for seconds. The tiny slice that was leftover from my dinner party I promptly ate for breakfast the next day. This is a perfect dinner party dish to have either as a starter or as a main course for about 6 people if you serve it alongside a nice salad and some roasted vegetables. I will be looking for excuses to have people over so I can make this again…
merrifood 
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