Photo: Natalie Levin
Shavuot is in about 3 weeks, and this is just the time to start thinking about what to make for the holiday feast. Every year I am responsible for three things – quiche, bread (or other savory pastry) and cheesecake. This year I decided that the traditional quiche should be slightly more modern, and that’s how the idea of savory galette was thought of.
Galette is actually a traditional rustic French tart, usually made sweet, that is made without a tart pan. You just have to roll out the dough into a circle (which does not have to be the most symmetrical), sprinkle the filling in the center part of the circle and close the edges of the dough on the sides in a semi-sloppy way. After baking, you get a beautiful and tasty rustic galette that is really hard to resist.
The idea of making savory galette came up as part of a brainstorming session with my talented friend Anat, during a joint baking day we’d recently had. We made a few more things – this beet and goat cheese galette is only one of them. This is definitely one of the most tempting pastries I made recently – a golden short crust pastry filled with chard, beets and goat cheese slices and some balsamic vinegar. This goat cheese galette is simply perfect for Spring brunch and of course for Shavuot.
Photo: Natalie Levin
Beet and Goat Cheese Galette
For short crust pastry:
- 150 grams (1 cup + 1 tbsp.) flour
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) cold butter (cut into cubes)
- 1/2 tsp. fine salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 1-2 tbsp. cold water (if necessary)
For beet and goat cheese filling:
- 4-5 large chard leaves (without the stalk)
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 small beets or one large
- 180 grams of goat cheese
- ½ teaspoon ground sea salt
- A little ground black pepper
For brushing and serving:
- 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 beaten egg
- Ground sea salt
- Short crust pastry: in a food processor with a steel blade put flour, butter and salt and blend until mixture is crumbly.
- Add ins the egg yolk and continue to process just until large clumps of dough are formed. If the dough is too dry and won’t come together – add a little water.
- Transfer the dough chunks on a lightly floured work surface and bring together. Make into a disc-shape, cover and refrigerate for an hour.
- Beet and goat cheese filling: cut the chard leaves into rather-large strips.
- Heat pan over high flame and add olive oil.
- Add the leaves and cook them on high heat for 3-4 minutes until they lose their volume and soften a bit. Add a little salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove from the stove and add some balsamic vinegar. Cool completely at room temperature.
- Peel the beets and slice into thin slices (about 2 mm thick).
- Cut the goat cheese roll into thin slices and set aside.
- Roll the dough on a floured baking paper to a 3-4 mm thick round shape.
- Sprinkle the chard leaves in a uniform layer in the center part of the circle.
- On top of the chard leaves, arrange a fan-shape of beets and goat cheese alternately.
- Sprinkle some salt and pepper on top and brush the beets and cheese with a little olive oil.
- Brush the edges of the dough with some beaten egg and sprinkle with a little salt.
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- Bake the galette for 30-40 minutes or until the dough is golden.
- Brush the beets and cheese again with a little olive oil and serve hot.
- It is recommended to serve the galette hot and fresh as much as possible.
- The galette can be kept in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to two or three days.
- Instead of chard leaves you can use spinach (about half a box of fresh spinach leaves).
Photo: Natalie Levin