Category Archives: Baked items

When looking through my photos last weekend, I noticed a kind of embarrassing little pattern. Dog, dog, food, dog, Sean + dog, food, food, dog, friends, dog, family, dog, food, food, dog. Apparently, the most worthwhile updates of the past few months of my life involved what I ate and how many different napping positions Penny got in.

In my defense, food and dogs are often the most photogenic parts of life–the former because it almost always sits still for me, and the latter because I’m a sucker for animals.

Now on to the galette, otherwise known as a free-form tart. It took me all afternoon to make this autumnal savory tart, but I didn’t care because it was all I planned to do that day. Plus, Sean was out of town and he doesn’t like squash.

I took about a hundred pictures of the galette when it came out of the oven. On the sheet pan, on the cutting board, on the table out on the deck, on the dining room table inside. Penny trailed after me the whole time, gazing up at me blankly. “Why are you carrying that food everywhere just to look at it through that little machine? I will eat it for you.”

Because it’s pretty, Pen. And I already took a bunch of pictures of you napping this afternoon.

Butternut squash and caramelized onion galette
adapted from Smitten Kitchen

For the pastry:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup ice water

Method: To make the pastry, combine the flour and salt in a bowl or food processor. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender or pulse in the processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add it to the butter and flour mixture. Using your fingertips or the food processor, mix in the liquid just until large lumps form. Pour the lumpy dough onto the counter and push it together into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

For the filling:

1 small butternut squash (about one pound)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced in half moons
Sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated or cut into small bits
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 tablespoon chopped chives

Method: Preheat oven to 375F. Peel the squash, then halve it and scoop out the seeds. Cut the squash into a 1/2-inch dice. Toss pieces with olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and roast on foil-lined sheet for 30 minutes or until pieces are tender. Set aside to cool slightly.

While the squash is roasting, caramelize the onions. In a heavy skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onions along with a pinch of salt and sugar. Turn the heat down to medium low and cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they’re soft and light golden brown, about 30 minutes. Add a few teaspoons of water every 8 to 10 minutes throughout the cooking process to prevent the onions from browning too quickly. Stir in the cayenne when the onions are done.

Raise the oven temperature to 400F. Mix the squash, caramelized onions, cheese and herbs together in a bowl.

Assembly and baking:
On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet, and spoon the squash, onion, cheese and herb mixture over the dough, leaving about a 1 1/2-inch border around the edges. Fold the edges over the filling, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven, and let sit for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

The galette is delicious hot or at room temperature. I served it with a mixed green salad dressed with grainy Dijon, mayo, shallot, lemon and lots of black pepper. It was a heavenly dinner for one.