serves
6-8
prep
25 minutes
cook
1 hour
difficulty
Mid
serves
6-8
people
preparation
25
minutes
cooking
1
hour
difficulty
Mid
level
I do, however, know that even if we are talking about a pie, if you’re able to get loads of nutrient-dense greens into it and make it into something delicious that you can share with friends and family then it is still waaaaaay better for you than anything processed. I like to imagine children would really enjoy this because it also almost looks like pizza, and I know from having a niece and nephew that getting greens into them is a tough one. I’ve not made it for them, but I think they would lap it up.
If you’re making it for adults, serve alongside a shaved radish, fennel and black olive salad with some lemon and olive oil and it’s a perfect vegetarian lunch or dinner. You will need a baking stone for making galettes at home. They are readily available from kitchen supply stores, and I think they’re essential for achieving a crispy base on galettes and pizzas.
Ingredients
- 1 quantity flaky dough ()
- flour, for dusting
Filling
- 400–500 g (14 oz–1 lb 2 oz) mixed green leaves with thick stems removed (any combination of spinach, silverbeet/Swiss chard, beetroot/beet tops, sorrel, kale, etc.), roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 170 g (6 oz) onion, sliced
- 2 tsp salt
- 20 g (¾ oz) flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves, chopped
- 15 g (½ oz) grated parmesan
- ⅛ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 100 ml (3½ fl oz) Crème fraîche (page 239)
- 50 g (1¾ oz) grated Comté cheese
Egg wash
- 1 egg
- splash of milk or cream
Instructions
1. First, make the dough according f. Refrigerate to rest for at least 30 minutes while you gather the rest of the ingredients. You can also make the dough ahead of time and freeze it. You’ll just need to thaw it in the fridge overnight.
2. For the filling, wash and drain all your greens but keep them damp. There’s no need to excessively dry them, as some moisture helps with the cooking process. To a large frying pan, add the olive oil, onion and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Place over a medium heat and sweat until the onion is soft and just lightly golden.
3. Add the parsley and sizzle for 1 minute, then add all the greens and remaining salt. Put a lid on the pan to speed up the wilting process. Once everything has started to cook, remove the lid and continue cooking until the greens are fairly soft, about 10 minutes. You can add your greens in batches if they don’t all fit in the pan at once. Drain the greens over a colander to remove any excess liquid. Allow to cool completely, then mix in the grated parmesan and nutmeg.
4. Preheat the oven to 230°C (445°F). Place your baking stone on the middle rack of the oven.
5. Remove your dough from the fridge and place on a well-floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with some more flour and roll it out as evenly as you can in all directions until it is 2–3 mm (¼ in) thick. Don’t worry if the edges aren’t smooth, and if you get a crack just patch it up. Once it’s rolled out, try to slide a piece of baking paper under the dough. This will make it easier to move around and to place on the stone.
6. Make the egg wash by beating the egg with the splash of milk.
7. To assemble, dust the base of the dough with a good pinch of flour, then spread your cooled greens on top, leaving a 3 cm (1¼ in) edge. Fold the edges of the galette up in as rustic or pretty a shape as you’d like, leaving the middle of the filling exposed. Brush the folded edge with egg wash, then use the baking paper to pick up the galette and place it on the pre-heated baking stone. If you have a fan-forced oven, turn on the fan, otherwise just add 5–10 minutes on to the baking time. Bake first for 15 minutes, then turn it around to ensure it bakes evenly on all sides. After another 15 minutes, slide the galette off the baking stone and onto an upturned baking tray.
8. Drizzle the crème fraîche onto the greens (not on the crust). It doesn’t have to be perfectly covered or even as it will melt. Also add your Comté on top of the crème fraîche. Slide the galette back onto the baking stone and continue baking for another 20 minutes. Once everything is golden and beautiful and your cheese is just starting to brown, remove the galette from the oven and pull it onto a cooling rack using the baking paper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Images and text from by Danielle Alvarez. Photography by Benito Martin. Hardie Grant RRP $50.00
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
I do, however, know that even if we are talking about a pie, if you’re able to get loads of nutrient-dense greens into it and make it into something delicious that you can share with friends and family then it is still waaaaaay better for you than anything processed. I like to imagine children would really enjoy this because it also almost looks like pizza, and I know from having a niece and nephew that getting greens into them is a tough one. I’ve not made it for them, but I think they would lap it up.
If you’re making it for adults, serve alongside a shaved radish, fennel and black olive salad with some lemon and olive oil and it’s a perfect vegetarian lunch or dinner. You will need a baking stone for making galettes at home. They are readily available from kitchen supply stores, and I think they’re essential for achieving a crispy base on galettes and pizzas.
