Around this time every year, as the days grow colder and darker, I find myself craving richer, more comforting meals – the kind of meals that sit on the stovetop all day, or bake for hours in a warm oven. For me, a cozy night in by the fire just would not be the same without a big ol’ pot of hearty soup simmering away on the stove.
While working from home on a windy, fall day, I decided that one of those comforting meals was in order. A few black futsu squash sat on my counter, left over from my shoot with Krissy a few weeks ago, and I thought – what could I make with those? Longing for something buttery and decadent, I decided a savory galette would be just what I craved – a rich, flaky crust filled with sweet, tender squash.
I decided to use a mixture of black futsu and delicata squash for a bit of variety, but I imagine many varieties of squash would work well here. I’m telling you guys though – if you haven’t tried black futsu yet, you have to. After being introduced to the variety by our farm share, we have not been able to get enough of them this season – roasting them for salads, soups, and now this galette. They have a depth of flavor that I’ve yet to find in any other variety of squash – deeply nutty and pleasingly sweet.
The galette is as simple as they come – just a pile of thinly sliced squash, onions, and garlic enveloped in a savory pie crust. A drizzle of maple syrup brings out the sweetness of the squash, while a bit of olive oil and butter add richness. I used a mixture of fresh winter savory and thyme to add a bit of brightness, but I imagine sage would be delicious as well. Whether for a cozy night in, or as a side for your Thanksgiving table, I promise you it will not disappoint.
Wishing you all a very happy Thanksgiving. I hope your tables are filled with delicious food and those you love the most.
savory squash galette
serves 2 – 4
for the dough:
1 cup (120g) all-purpose or whole wheat flour, plus more for rolling the dough
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons unsalted cold butter, cut into cubes
3 tablespoons ice water
½ of a small black futsu squash, seeded + cut into thin (¼-inch) wedges
1 small delicata squash, seeded + cut into thin (¼-inch) slices*
¼ yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, sliced
3 sprigs winter savory and/or thyme, leaves removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons butter
salt + freshly cracked black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
In a medium bowl, add the flour and a pinch of salt. Add the cold butter and, using your hands, work it into the flour until a coarse meal forms (and small pieces of butter are visible throughout). Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough just comes together. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set aside a small baking sheet.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rough circle, about 1/8-inch-thick. Roll the dough onto your rolling pin and unroll onto the baking sheet. Pile the squash, onion, and garlic slices in the middle of the dough, leaving an approximate 2-inch border. Sprinkle the squash with the winter savory and/or thyme leaves and drizzle with the olive oil and maple syrup. Scatter knobs of the butter evenly over the top and season with a few generous pinches of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Working around the outside, fold the border of dough up over the outside edges of the squash to form the galette. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the exposed dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Bake in the oven until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork and the dough is deeply golden, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. If you find your crust is browning too quickly, you can cover it loosely with aluminum foil until the squash is tender (though I did not have to do this with mine). Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
This galette is delicious as a side dish or as a light dinner, served with a side of dressed greens.
*Just a note that I did not seed my delicata, but found that the seeds did not get as crisp as I would have liked them to in the time it took the galette to bake. I would suggest removing them before assembling the galette.
SaveSave