Aspiring Elephant

I have grown to really enjoy galettes. I love making them almost as much as I love eating them. They’re just so easy and versatile that’s it’s hard not to like these buttery, flakey discs of baked dough. I think I really stumbled upon something special with this savory butternut squash, prosciutto, and brie galette. I am kind of always on the hunt for new and interesting ways to prepare butternut squash, and this creation really contains the best of all worlds. Flakey, crisp, hand rolled galette, topped with butternut squash, accompanied by prosciutto and the smooth, creamy texture of brie, combine to make something quite special. Have it as an appetizer, main, or just a savory snack – either way, you’ll enjoy it. Here’s how it’s done. In the mood for something on the sweeter side? Also, check out my recipe for an Apple Galette!

Ingredients

For the galette dough

• 1⅓ cups all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp sugar divided between dough and filling
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup plus 1 tbsp cup butter cold; 1 tbsp for topping
• 6-8 tbsp water cold

For the savory topping

• 3-4 prosciutto slices
• 4-5 tbsp brie
• butternut squash (thin slices)

How to Make the Galette Dough

This galette dough is simple to make and it doesn’t require any special equipment. Although, some people do like to use a food processor; it’s really not necessary. Start by adding 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour to a large mixing bowl, followed by 1 tbsp of granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, and 6-8 tbsp of cold water. Next, using a cheese grater, grate 1/2 cup of cold butter into the bowl. Yes, it needs to be cold.

Using your hands, mix the ingredients together. The idea here is to create little pieces of butter that are evenly mixed throughout the flour. We don’t want to over mix the dough. It’s best to form the mixture into loose ball, then press the ball into a disc.

Next, wrap the dough disc in Saran Wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least one hour. This dough should also last in the refrigerator for up to two days if you choose to make it ahead of time.

Preparing the Butternut Squash

Like I mentioned, one of the great things about galette’s is how versatile they are. They’re essentially just a blank canvas longing to be scribbled upon. But since it’s currently fall, it’s best to keep with the tradition of using fall ingredients, like butternut squash.

Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice the butternut squash in half so you have a wider bottom half, and a narrower top half. Since I’m only making one galette, I don’t need that much squash, so I’ll only be using the top half. A good knife is a must here, and for those of you wondering what I use, I love my William’s Sonoma’s Shun Hikari 8” Chef’s Knife. I have owned this knife for over two years now, and with some occasional honing, it’s just as sharp as the day I bought it.

Slicing downwards, carefully remove the outer skin from the squash. Then slice the squash in half so it has a flat surface to rest upon. Proceed to cut thin slices of squash. I like to cut them thin enough that light has the ability to pass through – I would say 1/16th of an inch.

Rolling out the dough

After an hour, the galette dough should be ready to roll out into a circle. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a piece of parchment paper. Then place a second piece of parchment on top of the dough. This is help to ensure the dough can be rolled out without it sticking to your hands or rolling pin.

It’s best to work somewhat quickly here. We don’t want to butter to melt. The chilled pieces of butter are what’s going to help make the galette crisp and flakey, so we want the butter to melt in the oven and not on the counter.

Begin by pressing the dough down with a rolling pin, gradually flattening it. Once it’s flattened to about 1 inch in thickness, you can begin rolling. It’s best to roll in a multi-directional pattern to create an even circle. I like to aim for a diameter of about 10”-12”.

The photo above is what the dough should look like at this point. If the butter starts to soften, place the dough on a baking sheet and stick in the refrigerator to firm up for about 10-15 minutes.

Adding the toppings

Next, it’s time to add the butternut squash. In a circular pattern, place the squash slices in the center of the dough, so there is about 1 inch of space left on the outside. We want to leave enough room for the dough to be folded inwards.

Next, it time to add the prosciutto. If you unfamiliar with prosciutto, it’s just thinly sliced dry cured ham and it’s quite delicious. It often has delicate, salty flavors which is going to add to the savory profile. Next, add small pieces of brie. I like to use Fromage D’affinois Double Cream Brie from Whole Foods. This brie is very soft and can be somewhat hard to handle, so I find using right out of the refrigerator is best. Lastly, and this part is optional, add a few thin slices of shallot.

Time to Bake

Now that all of the toppings have been added, it’s time to bake. If you haven’t already preheated your oven to 400°F, go ahead and do so. If your oven is not preheated, it’s best to place the galette back in the refrigerator to keep it firm and the butter from melting.

Once your oven is preheated, there is only one last thing to do, well two. Crack one egg into a bowl and give it a whisk. Using a brush, or even your finger, brush egg white onto the dough crust (just on the outer edges as seen above). This is going to help the exposed galette dough develop a nice, golden brown finish. Then lastly, dice 1-2 tbsp of cold butter and place, then throughout the top. The butter is optional, by the way, but I think it only helps the flavor (how could it not).

Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. And that’s it. Once it comes out of the oven, let it cool for 10 minutes or so before adding fresh basil or whatever you like. I really wasn’t sure what to expect the first time I tried this recipe, but I was really surprised as to just how good it was. It almost reminds me of a breakfast, sausage pizza, but not quite. I have made this for my family a few times and they’ve yet to be disappointed. Hope you enjoy!