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Monday, January 31, 2011

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette

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You can't go wrong with pizza. Ever. Or anything that resembles pizza, for that matter. If it has a crust, and it has toppings, it's close enough to pizza and therefore good in my book. Roasted Vegetable Tart with Chickpea Crust? Practically pizza! Turkey, Mushroom, and Broccoli Pie? Maybe more of a stretch, but it has a crust and toppings, so I'm still going to throw it in the pizza category. Galettes, in my opinion, now fall into this category. Buttery, flaky crust topped with roasted squash and caramelized onions? Pizza!

Whether or not you agree with my outlandish pizza definitions, I'm quite certain you will agree with me that this recipe is nothing short of brilliant. It requires several steps, but they flew by with the help of my wonderful sous chef, Erin (my brother-in-law's girlfriend...I'm a big big fan Justin!). My biggest regret with this recipe was that I didn't double it. The four of us had no problem finishing off the galette and I'm certain we would've eaten more, had it been available.

The dough was a little finicky when I tried to roll it out, but I stuck it in the freezer for a few minutes to re-chill and it rolled much better then. I liked the galette dough, but I'm curious to try other crust recipes and see how they compare. The filling, on the other hand, I won't be touching! The caramelized onions had a sweet/spicy thing going on thanks to the cayenne and they were a good complement to the roasted squash, sage, and fontina.

Next time I'm craving pizza, I just might find myself making another galette!

One Year Ago: Zucchini Banana Bread


Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette
from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:
for the pastry-
-1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
-1/4 tsp salt
-1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
-1/4 cup sour cream
-2 tsp fresh lemon juice
-1/4 cup ice water

for the filling-
-1 small butternut squash (approximately 1 lb)
-2 tbsp olive oil
-1-2 tbsp butter
-1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced in half-moons
-1 tsp salt
-pinch of sugar
-1/4 tsp cayenne
-3/4 cup fontina cheese, grated (I subbed in some parmesan because I didn't quite have enough fontina)
-1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh sage leaves

Directions:
1. To make the pastry, set the flour and salt in one bowl. Set the butter (cut into pieces) in another bowl. Place both bowls in the freezer for one hour. Remove from freezer and make a well in the center of the flour. Add the butter to the well and, with a pastry cutter, cut butter in until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Make an additional well in the center. In a small, separate, bowl, whisk together sour cream, lemon juice, and ice water. Add half of the mixture to the well, blending with your fingertips until large lumps form. Break through the large lumps and add the remaining liquid, continuing to blend with your fingers. Pat the dough into a ball (do not overwork dough!), wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 375F. Peel, halve, and remove seeds from butternut squash. Chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Toss with olive oil and a 1/2 tsp salt. Lay on a greased or foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, until pieces are tender.
3. While squash is cooking, melt butter in a heavy skillet. Add onion and a 1/2 tsp of salt plus a large pinch of sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and lightly golden brown (approximately 20 minutes). Stir in cayenne.
4. Raise oven temperature to 400F. In a large bowl mix squash, caramelized onions, cheese, and sage.
5. Remove dough from fridge and roll out on a floured surface until it is approximately a 12-inch round. Lay dough out on an ungreased baking sheet. Spread squash mixture atop dough, leaving a 1 1/2 inch border. Fold the border over the mixture, pleating to make it fit.
6. Bake galette until golden brown (30-40 minutes). Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve hot or at room temperature.