I am in love with galettes. How did this happen?
A few weeks ago I needed to use up some zucchini and summer squash. (I know I’m not the only one with that problem.) This 3-step recipe for a Summer Squash and Ricotta Galette from Serious Eats seemed like a nice change of pace from our standard pizza/calzone routine.
Two problems:
- I’d never made a galette before and it looked a little tricky.
- I have this thing about buying premade pie crust: I won’t do it. Why buy something you can make yourself?
So, I followed the link to the original Smitten Kitchen recipe (have I mentioned I love the internet?) and grabbed the pastry instructions. This was the ultimate, beautiful, final result:
A few things to note:
- It’s not that hard. This was my first galette. My first experience with this dough recipe. It turned out fine. If you’ve made any sort of dough before (pizza, cookie, pie), you can do this. I think you get a lot of visual “bang” for your time and effort “buck”. And I think the more I make this recipe, the more attractive it will become.
- My Pastry Cutter
is my friend. I don’t know what I did without it (oh yes, made mediocre shortbread).
- This recipe takes time. If you make your own crust (and why wouldn’t you????), it needs to hang out in the fridge for at least an hour. Baking the galette takes another 30-40 minutes. So, you need to plan ahead if you want to make this. At the same time, most of the time needed is unattended.
- The crust is flaky, buttery, amazing and addicting. Consider yourself warned.
- The recipe is supposed to serve 6. In our house, it was more like 2. It was that good (and we were that hungry?)
Fast forward to a couple weeks later:
I stumble upon this recipe for Zucchini and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Parmesan Tart on Closet Cooking. It looks pretty darn delicious.
One problem: I have this thing about buying premade puff pastry dough: I won’t do it (this time because I think it’s over-priced).
Solution: make another galette:
The same Smitten Kitchen crust, filled with the ingredients from the Closet Kitchen recipe. So good. Making the dough the second time was even easier than the first and I thought it was better looking. too.
Employment Update:
So…I didn’t get the job. I’ve recovered pretty well from the initial shock and, instead of the first day of school I was looking forward to, I’m spending the day reorganizing my recipe binder (a “summer” project), baking cookies, cleaning up the apartment, perhaps doing some behind the scenes blog work, watching Veronica Mars on Netflix and pondering what my next move might be. Last year, despite initial unemployment, I was working everyday starting in October. Things have a habit of working out, even if not the way initially planned.
