Caramelized onion goat cheese and zucchini galette

Another galette? Really, Kitchen Witch??

YES! A resounding YES is my answer to that question. If you haven't tried making a galette yet my only question is WHY NOT?!? They are easy, impressive and best of all, delicious!! Heck, the Kitchen Witch has become so obsessed with them that she now keeps a round of galette dough in the fridge ready to roll out: you never know when the galette jones is going to strike - who wants to wait 3 hours for deliciousness to be done? By keeping a round of pastry in the fridge I can have a galette on the table in 1 hour flat.

I've made and blogged about a few galettes now. Every time I make one I'm impressed with how flaky the pastry is, how delicious the filling is and how simple it was to prepare. A galette is the perfect canvas for any flavors you like, sweet or savory, using the best of whats in season in a different and tasty way. Which leads me to today's galette, caramelized onion goat cheese and zucchini.

Its no secret that the Witch loves the following items:
goat cheese
caramelized onions, deglazed with white wine preferably
zucchini
galette pastry
Which is why they ended up in the best galette I've made to date. Creamy. Smooth. Rich. Savory. Indulgent.
Goat cheese can be slightly grainy so the Witch counteracted that with a small amount of cream cheese. Whipping the two cheeses together with a bit of fresh thyme and a splash of white wine really smoothed out the texture making it perfectly spreadable. Goat cheese has a tang to it which played so nicely off the caramelized onions. I browned the onions slowly in a bit of butter and a few sprigs of thyme. 90 minutes later they were a golden color so I deglazed with white wine, the fond that had formed on the bottom of the pan was dissolved by the wine and redistributed onto the onions, added even more sweet delicious flavor. Garden fresh zucchini were sliced very thin and arranged on top of the cheese and onion layer, adding a pretty punch of color and a delicate flavor. A grating of Asiago cheese over top completed the galette, it also helped it to become golden brown in the oven.

The flavors in this galette are out of this world good. So savory, so rich, so delicious!! Both the husband and the Witch agreed that we'd be more than happy to spend up to $10 a slice for this deliciousness in a French bistro. If you've got some friends or family or just yourself that you'd like to impress with your mad cooking skillz, make this galette. You, and your guests, will be happy you did.


Caramelized onion goat cheese zucchini galette
makes 8 wedges
1 1/2 c flour
1 t table salt
1 stick butter diced
1/4 c sour cream
1/4 c ice water
2 t lemon juice
1 small zucchini sliced into 1/8 in slices
2-3 onions sliced thin
2 T butter
splash white wine (1-2T)
7 oz goat cheese, chevere
2 oz cream cheese
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 T fresh grated asiago cheese
1 egg yolk and a splash of water for egg wash


Make dough: In the work bowl of your food processor, add the flour, salt and cold butter. Pulse 10 times (1 second bursts). Mix the sour cream, water and lemon juice together. Add the liquid to the processor and pulse 7-10 more times, until the dough starts to form a ball. Remove dough and press into a large flat circle (about 10 in diameter), cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour minimum.

Caramelize the onions with 2 T of butter in a small dutch oven over medium low heat. This takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to achieve a blond color, do not rush this step! The slow caramelizing process really brings out the sweetness of the onion, rushing this step could result in burned bitter onions. Add 3 sprigs fresh thyme after browned, a pinch of salt and splash of white wine (about 2T) to deglaze. Stir up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and reduce until liquid is syrup consistency.

Mix the goat and cream cheeses together with a pinch of salt, 1 sprig of thyme leaves and a splash of white wine. Whip well with a stand mixer (or hand mixer if that's what you have) until its lightened and fluffy.

Slice the zucchini thin, into 1/8 inch rounds and set aside.

Roll the chilled galette dough out to form a large circular shape (about 14-16 inches diameter). Transfer the rolled dough to a parchment or silpat lined sheet pan for construction.

Spread the goat cheese mixture in the middle, leaving at least 3 inches of pastry on the edges to form the top crust.



Top the cheese with the caramelized onions, removing thyme stems.



Arrange the zucchini slices in an overlapping spiral pattern over top of the onion layer.



Fold the edges of the galette over on top, making a crust/overlap. Fold and pleat the dough as needed to make it round(ish) and create an edge crust to hold everything in while baking. Brush the edges with the egg wash, applying an even coating to assist in browning. Top the entire galette with fresh grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese.



Bake at 350 for 30 to 45 minutes, or until galette is browned. Serve with a small salad if desired. Stand back, wait for the compliments to roll in and bask in the glory :)



Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople Recipe Calculator
8 Servings (1 slice per serving)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 353.6
Total Fat 25.0 g
Saturated Fat 15.7 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 6.6 g
Cholesterol 87.8 mg
Sodium 450.3 mg
Potassium 134.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate 22.4 g
Dietary Fiber 1.4 g
Sugars 0.3 g
Protein 9.8 g

Cinnamon Ice Cream

Many years ago my Witch Sissy worked at a restaurant that had the best cinnamon ice cream ever. It was the only thing on the menu worth eating, by the way. Ever since the demise of said lousy restaurant I've heard her wax poetic about the joys of this cinnamon ice cream.

"Its creamy, sweet and spicy. It's got a strong cinnamon flavor that borders on red hots but not fake. It the best ice cream ever" says Witchy Sissy, the certified dark chocoholic. The Kitchen Witch thinks "Damn, that's gotta be some good ice cream for you to be talking about it still, more than 10 years later AND its not chocolate!"

So I made some for her for her, after all it IS national Ice Cream Month. I added the cinnamon to the cooking milk, cream and sugar, when cinnamon is heated it intensifies, bringing out that CINNAMON flavor that we associate with red hots, spicy and hot, but not overdoing it. The result is a flecked pale ice cream that does not hint of its deliciousness. Its sweet, creamy, spicy and very very cinnamon flavored. Perfect with an oatmeal cookie. Witchy Sissy agrees, its a winner - and just as good as the restaurants version. That makes me a happy Kitchen Witch!

Cinnamon Ice Cream
makes 8 (1/2 cup) servings
2 egg yolks
1/2 c sugar
2.5 c milk
1.5 c heavy cream
1 t vanilla extract
1 t cinnamon

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, combine the milk, cream sugar and eggs. Whisk well. Add cinnamon, stirring constantly until temperature reaches 160.

~*~Kitchen Witch Tip: the cinnamon will be difficult to incorporate, keep stirring!! I found that rubbing the back of the spoon against the pan to smash the cinnamon helped it incorporate better. Straining the ice cream base will remove any scrambled eggs as well as large unincorporated cinnamon chunks. It will NOT look pretty while cooking, this is ok! ~*~



Pour heated ice cream base through a sieve to strain out any lumps, add vanilla and chill in an ice bath or overnight in the refrigerator.

Once ice cream base is thoroughly chilled pour into an ice cream machine and follow manufacturers instructions, until ice cream is frozen and the consistency of soft serve. You can serve ice cream now or transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze to firm up.



Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople Recipe Calculator
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 256.1
Total Fat 19.1 g
Saturated Fat 11.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 5.7 g
Cholesterol 118.4 mg
Sodium 50.3 mg
Potassium 40.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate 17.7 g
Dietary Fiber 0.2 g
Sugars 16.2 g
Protein 4.1 g

Indian Style Curry - potato, chick pea, zucchini, cauliflower and peas

I find the best recipes and ideas while out in the blogosphere. Design Wine and Dime is no exception. A few weeks ago she posted a mouth watering recipe for Rava Dosas with potato chickpea masala. After I read the post I could not get this recipe off my mind.

While browsing one of my favorite cookbooks, America's Test Kitchen, Best of 2008, I discovered a curry recipe. Most everything I've made from this book was delicious so I decided to go for it. It shared a lot of similar ingredients and methods with Design Wine & Dine's recipe, which sparked my curry thought pattern initially.

A trip to the farmers market yielded me some nice red baby potatoes. I found a great deal on organic cauliflower at the grocery store as well. The chick peas are a staple in my pantry, along with spices like curry and garam masala. Everything included this meal cost less than $5, it has all organic produce, some if from my very own yard, and was delicious!

Browning the onions and potatoes together help build the flavor base. Toasting the curry powder and garam masala aids in bringing the freshest flavors out of the spices, adding another layer of flavor. The dish takes about 45 minutes from start to finish, but tastes like it took all day. No one, even the meat loving husband, missed the meat in this dish. It is extremely hearty and filling and most of all, extremely delicious!


Indian Style Curry: Potato, chick pea, zucchini, cauliflower and peas
makes about 5 hearty portions
adapted from America's Test Kitchen best of 2008 Cookbook
2 T curry powder
1 1/2 t garam masala
1/4 c canola oil, divided
1 large onion, fine dice
12 oz, about 6 small, red bliss potatoes, cut into large dice
4 cloves garlic minced
1 T fresh grated ginger root
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded if desired, fine dice
1 T tomato paste
1/2 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 medium size zucchini, diced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, pulsed in a food processor or blender
1 1/2 c water
1 can chick peas, drained & rinsed
kosher salt to taste (veggies need lots of salt, season generously, 1 to 1.5 t kosher salt)
2 handfuls frozen peas
1/4 c heavy cream or coconut milk

Toast the curry powder and garam masala in a small skillet over medium high heat, stirring occasionally until spices darken slightly and become fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.. Remove spices from pan and set aside.

Heat 3 T oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat. Once oil is hot add the onions and potatoes, cook stirring occasionally until potatoes begin to brown on edges and onions are golden, about 10 minutes. Once browning begins reduce heat to medium.

Push the potatoes and onions to the side of the pan making room in the center to work. Add the remaining oil along with the garlic, ginger, jalapenos and tomato paste, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the toasted spices, stirring constantly, cool for about a minute longer.



Add the cauliflower & zucchini next, stirring well to cover in spices. Once the vegetables are thoroughly coated in spices add the tomatoes, water and chickpeas. Season with salt. Be sure to scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.



Bring to a simmer, cover and cook about 15 to 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally while cooking to avoid veggies from sticking to bottom of pan.



Once potatoes are done add the peas and cook about 2 minutes longer. Add the cream or coconut milk, stir well, add more salt if needed and serve over basmati rice.



Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople Recipe Calculator
5 Servings
Amount Per Serving *not including rice*
Calories 292.5
Total Fat 13.2 g
Saturated Fat 1.4 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 7.0 g
Cholesterol 2.3 mg
Sodium 677.5 mg
Potassium 1,103.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate 39.1 g
Dietary Fiber 8.6 g
Sugars 1.7 g
Protein 8.2 g

Fruit Dip

Fruit dip is something that my mom used to make for us when we were kids. It was always a special treat, one that was usually reserved for big family gatherings of cousins, aunts and uncles. I have nothing but fond memories associated with this delicious dip.

When the first hot days of summer hit I decided it was time to introduce the little Witch to the wonderful world of fruit dip. This dip is painfully simple, 3 ingredients and some fruit! We spread a blanket on the grass and enjoyed our fruit fondue al fresco. It was a hit with everyone young and old alike.

Next time I make this I will make my own marshmallow. I used the store bought stuff this time - it's filled with high fructose corn syrup, something that I don't allow in the house. If HFCS is something you're not worried about then feel free to use the fluff from the store, its easy and convenient. They way I look at it is this: moderation is OK. Since we have zero HFCS in anything else we eat we can afford a bit in fruit dip once or twice a year. Still, I'll make my own marshmallow fluff next time.

Fruit Dip
makes about 6 servings
1 block cream cheese (8 oz)
1 small jar marshmallow fluff
1 t lemon juice
fresh fruit like apples, strawberries, bananas and peaches

In a work bowl of a stand mixer (a hand mixer will work, too) whip the cream cheese and lemon juice until light and fluffy. Scrap down sides. Add the marshmallow fluff and beat until smooth. Pour into a bowl and serve with fresh fruit.

Looks like we need a bigger bowl!

These wee Witches loved the fruit dip

Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople Recipe calculator
6 Servings dip only, not including any fruit
Amount Per Serving
Calories 182.2
Total Fat 13.2 g
Saturated Fat 8.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.7 g
Cholesterol 41.6 mg
Sodium 118.1 mg
Potassium 46.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 13.6 g
Dietary Fiber 0.0 g
Sugars 7.5 g
Protein 2.9 g

Lemon herb roasted chicken quarters

A good friend of mine asked me for more dark meat chicken recipes. I'll be the first to admit I was stumped, simply because the Witch is a chicken breast kind of girl. Boneless and skinless, please! That's all I really knew growing up, so it makes sense that it'd be what I know today. For some reason it was drilled into my head that dark meat is gross, stringy, greasy, funky tasting. So, I avoided it like the plague!

The Kitchen Witch decided that she was being far too discriminatory against a whole half of a bird. What had the dark meat ever done to deserve this reputation? The Witch decided to be a grown up and do what I've been trying to teach the little Witch, try a bite. How do you know you won't like it if you don't try it?

So I did. And I liked it! Not funky. Not greasy. Not stringy. It actually has flavor. The left overs are about a million times better than breast meat; they don't get that fridge flavor that white meat seems to pick up. Add the fact that dark meat is half the price of its pale counterparts and I'm a happy Witch.

So here it is Kelly. Simple, flavorful, and easy to prepare! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Thanks again for the gentle push outside of my comfort zone, it is appreciated :)

Lemon herb roasted quarters
makes 5 servings
8-10 leaves sage
4 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs oregano
1 small handful parsley
4 cloves garlic smashed
3/4 to 1t kosher salt & a few grinds of pepper
zest and juice of 1 lemon
3T EVOO
5 chicken quarters, or 5 legs & 5 thighs

Mince herbs. Add everything but the chicken to a bowl and whisk well. Pour over chicken quarters, rub it in. Allow to marinate for 2-4 hours.

Roast on a sheet pan in a preheated oven set at 375. Roast uncovered for 45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 180.

Look at how golden and crispy the skin got. It was delicious!

Nutrition Facts Provided by SparkPeople Recipe calculator
5 Servings, skin removed
Amount Per Serving
Calories 233.4
Total Fat 12.9 g
Saturated Fat 2.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 7.5 g
Cholesterol 105.0 mg
Sodium 347.0 mg
Potassium 320.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 1.6 g
Dietary Fiber 0.1 g
Sugars 0.2 g
Protein 26.5 g

Raspberry cream cheese galette

The Kitchen Witch is in love. In love with galette dough, that is!! It is so easy to make, and so impressive to bake and serve. The Witches' husband honestly thought I had made my own puff pastry, he wanted to know how many times I had to fold the dough to create all the flaky layers. I was more than happy to tell him that I folded the dough exactly zero times. He was amazed that a flaky delicate crumb could come out of the food processor and not a complicated puff pastry. I was impressed that he even KNEW that puff pastry had to be folded a gazillion times when made from scratch. I love that man!

I've made a few savory galettes now and decided that it was time to try a dessert version. Raspberries are prolific in my garden right now, you can't get much fresher than picked 20 feet away from the stove! To balance the tartness of the berries the Witch decided that a creamy, sweet but slightly tangy filling was in order, cream cheese filled that role nicely.

I added a touch of sugar to the berries to help bring out their natural sweetness, and a bit of corn starch to help absorb the juices from cooking. Lemon zest helped tie the lemon in the filling with the lemon in the crust, and played off the tartness of the berries as well.

The result was a dessert as refreshing and sweet as a summer evening. The crust was crispy, tender, flaky and golden. The filling was sweet, creamy with a touch of tang. The berries really came alive when baked, their ruby red color was the star against the white cheese filling and the golden crust. We topped our raspberry galette with a drizzle of melted white chocolate - it was the perfect finish to a fun girls night in.

Raspberry cream cheese galette
makes 8 wedges
1 block cream cheese
1 T + 2t lemon juice, divided
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 c sugar
1 t vanilla
8 oz fresh raspberries
1/4 c powdered sugar
1 T corn starch
white chocolate for drizzle (optional)
1 1/4 c flour
1 t table salt
1 (1/2 c) stick butter
1/4 c sour cream
1/4 c ice water
1 egg yolk, splash of water, whisked together

Make galette dough:
Dice the butter into small cubed. Put butter in a bowl with the flour and salt. Freeze for 30 minutes. This will help keep things very cold while working the dough, resulting in flakey layers.

After 30 min is up pulse the dough in a food processor fit with the steel blade, for 10 pulses, until it resembles coarse meal.

~*~Kitchen Witch Tip: When pulsing ingredients in the food processor, use 1 second bursts for your pulsing. Not letting the machine run long enough while pulsing will cause lots of dust and very little mixing of the ingredients.~*~

Meanwhile mix the lemon juice, sour cream and ice water together.

Add the liquid, pulse 10 times and turn out onto plastic wrap. Press dough into a round and cover with plastic, refrigerate for 1 hour before rolling out.

Prepare the cream cheese filling by mixing the cream cheese, 1/4 c sugar, 2T lemon juice and vanilla in a work bowl. Mix them together with a stand mixer or hand mixer. Once the mixture has blended increase speed to whip. Whip until light and fluffy.



Roll the galette dough out to a large circle. (about 14 inches diameter)



Spread the dough with the cream cheese mixture leaving at least 3 inches edge all around.



In a bowl lightly coat the raspberries with lemon zest, powdered sugar and corn starch. Mound berries on top of the cream cheese distributing evenly to the edge of the cheese (pastry still has a 3 inch edge)



Fold the edges of the pastry up over the berries, pleating as you go. Brush the edge with the yolk and splash of water to assist in crust browning.

Bake at 400 for 30 to 40 minutes.



Allow to cool 30 minutes before drizzling with the optional melted white chocolate. Serve at room temperature.


Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople Recipe Calculator
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 434.9
Total Fat 28.8 g
Saturated Fat 17.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 8.5 g
Cholesterol 94.6 mg
Sodium 104.4 mg
Potassium 179.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 40.1 g
Dietary Fiber 2.9 g
Sugars 10.1 g
Protein 6.2 g

Chicken Tikka Masala

This was the Kitchen Witches' first foray into the wonderful, spicy and tasty world of Indian cooking. All I can say is WOW and WHY did I wait so long?? These flavors are out of this world good. Familiar, yet exotic all at once. And the smells that they create while cooking... If you've never cooked Indian food, I highly encourage you to try.

When I asked people what Indian food was like I got a lot of "its spicy" comments. I'm kinda wimpy when it comes to heat so maybe that's why I avoided it for so long. This past January I met up with an old friend of mine and she suggested we go out for Indian food. Never having tried it, I agreed, but was apprehensive about it. What if its too spicy? What if I don't like it? What if, what if, what if! The Witches' husband was the voice of reason - he said if it sucks you politely eat a few bites of everything and then we hit up McDonald's on the way home, no harm no foul. So I put my big girl pants on and went out for Indian.

Oh. My. Goodness!!!!!! Sure it was a little intimidating, not knowing what the heck anything on the menu was, save a few items like Naan (flat bread that's awesome!) or mango lasse (basically a yogurt smoothie made with mango). The restaurant we went to had a lunch buffet, while normally I am very anti buffets, I completely appreciated the buffet here. It allowed me to sample at least 10 items off the menu for 1 price, with out the pressure of committing to 1 strange dish. And as a result I'm now an Indian food convert!

So it turns out that the 'spiciness' in Indian food isn't necessarily heat spicy, rather, it is spices spicy. Things like cinnamon, cardamon, clove, ginger and garlic. DELICIOUS! Which leads me to today's post. Chicken Tikka Masala.

A quick Kitchen Witch tip before I get into the recipe. Making Indian food will require you to stock lots of 'exotic' spices that you most likely won't have. Before you go & spend $50 on spices at the grocery store, take a trip to a local health foods store. Here in Colorado Springs we have an awesome place called Mountain Mama. They sell spices and herbs in bulk. This is where I get all my spices & herbs, at rock bottom prices!! You can get as little or as much of each spice that you need, with out being stuck with an entire $10 jar of cardamon pods, or $5 of curry powder. Last time I bought spices I got garam masala, curry powder, cardamon pods, coriander seed, fenugreek seed, cinnamon, chili powder, and a few other things for $12. And I got at least 4-8 TABLESPOONS of each spice!!! Now that's witchcraft :)

Chicken Tikka Masala
Modified from Alton Brown
Makes 8 servings
Marinade for chicken:
3 lbs boneless & skinless chicken thighs, sliced into strips for skewering
1 cup yogurt, plain
1 T garam masala
1 t kosher salt
4 cardamon pods
1/2 t coriander seed
1.5 t cumin seed, whole
1 t black pepper corns, whole
1 t fenugreek seed, whole

Masala sauce:
28 oz crushed tomatoes
1 T garam masala
1 t + more to taste kosher salt
1 large onion diced
1 jalapeno diced, seeds left in if you like it hotter
1 c coconut milk
1 T fresh grated ginger
4 cloves garlic minced
2T vegetable oil for sautee

Chicken marinade and preparation:

Heat a small dry skillet (no oil) over high heat. Once pan is hot add the whole spices and move pan around until spices are toasted and smell fragrent, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove spices to a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Allow spices to cool before grinding.

Once cooled grind spices into a powder.



Combine with 1T garam masala and 1t kosher salt, mix well. Add the yogurt and mix well. Add sliced chicken to yogurt spice mix and marinate for 3-4 hours.

30 minutes before marinade is finished soak bamboo skewers in water so they don't catch on fire as easily while grilling. Also now is a great time to get your charcoal going or heat up your grill.

Skewer the chicken meat, leaving as much of the yogurt mix on as possible, on soaked skewers, about 2 thighs per skewer.

Grill meat until cooked and nicely charred, the charred edges will add to the flavor.




Masala sauce:
Heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium-high, until it shimmers and almost begins to smoke. Add the onion and remaining teaspoon of salt, and cook until the onion is browned around the edges, 11 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, ginger and jalapeno. Cook, stirring constantly, until the onions have softened and browned completely, approximately 7 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of garam masala and stir several times to coat.

Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have reduced slightly and deepened in color, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the lamb and coconut milk to the tomato mixture and stir to combine and heat through. Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy with basmati rice.



Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople Recipe Calculator
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 258.5
Total Fat 16.4 g
Saturated Fat 8.4 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.6 g
Cholesterol 93.4 mg
Sodium 171.7 mg
Potassium 422.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate 5.7 g
Dietary Fiber 0.8 g
Sugars 2.5 g
Protein 22.6 g

Zucchini and Ricotta galette

Did you all see this one on Smitten Kitchen a few days ago? The Kitchen Witch sure did and made it right away! We're all so glad that I did! Not only was it delicious, it wasn't hard to prepare and was very impressive to present. Win/win! This was the first galette that the Witch made, it will not be the last! I have all sorts of ideas for galettes with garden fresh produce, assuming my garden gets around to producing fresh produce sometime soon.

The Kitchen Witch made the dough a day in advance and let it rest in the fridge for a full 24 hours. This was actually unintentional; life came up and I wasn't able to make it the day the dough was made, so, it had to wait for the following night. In no way did the dough suffer from the extended resting time. It was light, flaky and puffy, like a puff pastry, the egg wash really made it croissant like in texture, taste and color. Best of all, it was easy. It even rolled out easily, something that this Witch consistently have issue with. The Witches' kitchen has recently been upgraded to include a French rolling pin, it made all the difference in ease of rolling dough. If you don't have one I highly recommend getting one. Bed, Bath & beyond has them for $8. Totally worth it!

As usual, deviations from the original recipe were made, I added 1/4 c feta cheese and used thyme rather than basil. The feta honestly didn't add much flavor impact so feel free to leave it out if you'd prefer. I had some to use up & figured why not. Thyme was used for 2 reasons: 1. I had fresh thyme, my basil isn't too big yet and 2. I like thyme more than basil. As always feel free to use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand & enjoy.


Zucchini and Ricotta galette
makes 8 wedges
For the pastry:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, chilled in the freezer for 30 minutes
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chill again
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup ice water

Filling:
1 large or 2 small zucchinis, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds (I used the slicing blade of my food processor)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
2 medium garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (about 1 ounce) grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded mozzarella
1 tablespoon slivered basil leaves, thyme or other fresh herb

Glaze:
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Make dough: Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle bits of butter over dough and using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with the biggest pieces of butter the size of tiny peas. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add this to the butter-flour mixture. With your fingertips or a wooden spoon, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Make filling: Spread the zucchini out over several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let drain for 30 minutes; gently blot the tops of the zucchini dry with paper towels before using. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil and the garlic together; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, and 1 teaspoon of the garlicky olive oil together and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare galette: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet (though if you line it with parchment paper, it will be easier to transfer it to a plate later). Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the bottom of the galette dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Shingle the zucchini attractively on top of the ricotta in concentric circles, starting at the outside edge. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of the garlic and olive oil mixture evenly over the zucchini. Fold the border over the filling, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open. Brush crust with egg yolk glaze.




Bake the galette until the cheese is puffed, the zucchini is slightly wilted and the galette is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with herbs, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.



Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople Recipe Calculator
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 256.7
Total Fat 18.4 g
Saturated Fat 10.4 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 5.8 g
Cholesterol 69.1 mg
Sodium 372.2 mg
Potassium 77.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate 16.6 g
Dietary Fiber 0.6 g
Sugars 0.1 g
Protein 6.4 g