Savory Butternut & Garlic Galette

Rustic Butternut Squash, Roasted Garlic, and Ricotta Galette: A Wholesome Savory Tart Recipe

There’s something incredibly comforting and satisfying about a homemade galette. If you’ve never encountered this culinary delight before, think of it as a charmingly rustic, free-form tart – a delicious cousin to both pizza and pie. Unlike its more formal counterparts, a galette embraces imperfections, making it a perfect project for any home cook looking for a dish that’s both impressive and forgiving. While galettes can be sweet, bursting with seasonal fruits, today we’re diving into the savory realm with one of my absolute favorite combinations: roasted butternut squash, sweet roasted garlic, and creamy ricotta cheese.

This recipe brings together a symphony of flavors and textures, making it an ideal meal for a cozy evening or a delightful centerpiece for a casual gathering. The star of the show, butternut squash, transforms into a sweet and tender delight when roasted, perfectly complementing the mellow, almost caramelized notes of roasted garlic. Together with the rich, soft ricotta and a touch of your favorite melting cheese, all encased in a delicate, crumbly pastry, this galette promises a memorable culinary experience that will undoubtedly become a staple in your kitchen.

The Star Ingredient: Why Butternut Squash Shines

Butternut squash holds a special place in my culinary heart. It’s a remarkably versatile and naturally sweet vegetable that truly comes alive when roasted. The high heat coaxes out its inherent sugars, resulting in a tender, slightly caramelized texture and a deeply flavorful profile. Beyond its incredible taste, butternut squash is packed with essential nutrients, including vitamins A and C, fiber, and potassium, making this galette not only delicious but also a wholesome choice. While some might grow weary of its frequent appearance, I find its adaptability endless. In this recipe, its earthy sweetness forms the perfect canvas for the other vibrant flavors, creating a harmonious and utterly delectable filling.

The Magic of Roasted Garlic

For this galette, we don’t just use any garlic; we use roasted garlic, and the distinction is crucial. Roasting garlic cloves whole and unpeeled in their papery skins transforms their pungent, sharp flavor into something entirely different. The heat causes a chemical change that mellows the garlic’s bite, making it wonderfully sweet, creamy, and spreadable, with a subtle nutty undertone. This softened garlic then marries beautifully with the ricotta, creating a fragrant, savory base that enhances every bite of the galette without overpowering the delicate flavors of the squash. It’s an essential component that elevates the dish from good to truly exceptional.

Choosing Your Cheese: A Matter of Personal Preference

While the recipe suggests mature cheddar for its robust flavor and excellent melting properties, the beauty of this butternut squash galette lies in its adaptability, especially when it comes to cheese. Your choice of cheese can significantly influence the final taste profile, allowing you to tailor the galette to your personal preferences. Butternut squash pairs wonderfully with a variety of cheeses: goats cheese offers a tangy, earthy counterpoint; taleggio provides a wonderfully creamy and pungent richness; gouda adds a mild, nutty sweetness; and gorgonzola can introduce a bold, piquant kick. Feel free to experiment with gruyere, fontina, or even a blend of your favorites. Whatever you choose, ensure it’s a cheese you love and that melts well, adding that irresistible gooey layer to your savory tart.

Crafting the Perfect Pastry: The Semolina Secret

The foundation of any great galette is its crust, and this recipe features a unique pastry made with semolina or cornmeal. This addition is key to achieving a truly special texture. Unlike an all-flour crust, the semolina or cornmeal imparts a delicate, slightly crumbly yet sturdy quality that holds up beautifully to the moist filling. It contributes a subtle grittiness and a lovely golden hue when baked, enhancing the rustic charm of the galette. The process is straightforward, whether you use a food processor or your hands, but remember the golden rule of pastry making: handle the dough as little as possible to ensure a tender, flaky result. Chilling the dough is also a critical step, allowing the gluten to relax and the butter to firm up, making it easier to roll and preventing shrinkage during baking.

Effortless Entertaining: Master the Art of Meal Prep

One of the best aspects of this butternut squash galette is how well it lends itself to meal preparation, making it a fantastic option for busy weekdays or when entertaining. We all know the agony of waiting for food when hunger strikes! To avoid this, I highly recommend preparing the pastry and roasting the vegetables earlier in the day, or even the day before. The prepared pastry disc can be tightly wrapped in clingfilm and kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Similarly, the roasted butternut squash and garlic, once cooled, can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a day or two. This proactive approach means that when dinner time rolls around, all you need to do is quickly assemble the galette and pop it into the oven. This significantly reduces active cooking time, allowing you to enjoy a delicious, homemade meal with minimal last-minute fuss. It’s a game-changer for stress-free cooking!

Ingredients:

Yields: 4 servings

For the Pastry:

  • 185g (1 + ½ cups) all-purpose flour
  • 65g (⅓ cup + 2 tbsp) fine semolina or cornmeal
  • 125g (½ cup + 1 tsp) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 4-5 tbsp ice-cold water (start with 4 and add more if needed)

For the Filling:

  • 1 large butternut squash, approximately 1.5kg (3.3 lbs) unpeeled weight
  • 10 cloves garlic, whole and unpeeled
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp dried rosemary, crushed lightly
  • ½ tsp dried sage, crushed lightly
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 250g (9 oz) ricotta cheese, drained if very watery
  • 100g (3.5 oz) cheese of your choice (e.g., mature cheddar, goat cheese, Gruyère, Taleggio, or a mix), grated

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare the Rustic Pastry

In a food processor, combine the all-purpose flour, semolina (or cornmeal), and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse several times until the mixture resembles coarse sand with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. If you don’t have a food processor, you can achieve this by rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the desired texture is reached. With the food processor running on low, or gradually adding by hand, drizzle in the ice-cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough just begins to come together. Be careful not to overmix; overworking the dough will result in a tough crust. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, gently shape it into a flat disc, wrap it tightly in clingfilm, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours. This chilling period is crucial for developing flavor and making the dough easier to handle.

Step 2: Roast the Butternut Squash and Garlic

Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas Mark 7). Prepare the butternut squash by first chopping it into two pieces – separating the narrower neck from the rounder base – which makes peeling much easier. Peel the skin, scoop out the seeds, and then cut the squash into thin, crescent-shaped slices, about 5mm (¼ inch) thick. Place the squash slices in a large roasting tin. Add the whole, unpeeled garlic cloves directly to the tin. Drizzle generously with olive oil, then sprinkle with dried thyme, rosemary, and sage. Season with a good grinding of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Use your hands to thoroughly mix everything, ensuring the squash and garlic are evenly coated with the oil and seasonings. Roast in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until both the butternut squash is fork-tender and slightly caramelized at the edges, and the garlic cloves are soft when squeezed. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

Step 3: Prepare the Ricotta-Garlic Base

Once the roasted garlic cloves are cool enough to handle, carefully peel them. The skins should slip off easily, revealing wonderfully soft, golden cloves. Place the peeled roasted garlic in a small bowl and mash them thoroughly with a fork until a smooth paste forms. Add the ricotta cheese to the mashed garlic, along with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste, and mix well to combine. This fragrant, creamy mixture will form the savory base of your galette.

Step 4: Assemble the Galette

Reduce the oven temperature to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled pastry dough into a large circle, approximately 33cm (13 inches) in diameter. Don’t worry if it’s not perfectly round; the rustic charm is part of a galette’s appeal. Carefully transfer the rolled-out pastry to a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper or a silicone mat. Place the baking sheet with the pastry back into the fridge for about 15 minutes to firm up again; this helps prevent the pastry from shrinking too much during baking.

Remove the pastry from the fridge. Spread the prepared ricotta and roasted garlic mixture evenly over the pastry, leaving a generous 7cm (2.5-3 inch) border around the edge. Arrange the cooled roasted butternut squash slices over the ricotta mixture in an appealing pattern. Finally, grate your chosen cheese generously over the squash. Now for the signature galette look: gently fold the exposed pastry edges over the filling towards the center, pleating the edge as you go to make it fit. The beauty of a galette is its free-form nature, so embrace any imperfections – it’s meant to look homemade and inviting!

Step 5: Bake and Serve

Bake the assembled galette in the preheated oven for 30-45 minutes, or until the pastry crust is beautifully crisp and golden brown, and the filling is bubbly and heated through. The cheese on top should be melted and slightly golden. Once baked, remove the galette from the oven and let it cool slightly on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to set and makes it easier to slice. Serve warm, perhaps alongside a simple, crisp green salad dressed with a light vinaigrette, and a glass of your favorite wine for a truly satisfying meal.

Variations to Explore

This butternut squash and roasted garlic galette is fantastic as is, but don’t hesitate to get creative with variations. Consider adding a sprinkle of chili flakes to the squash for a touch of heat, or incorporating some fresh spinach or kale into the ricotta mixture for added greens. A scattering of toasted pecans or walnuts would introduce a delightful crunch. For a different flavor profile, try adding caramelized onions to the filling, or substituting the ricotta with goat cheese for a tangier result. The possibilities are endless, allowing you to adapt this versatile recipe to your taste and what you have on hand.

Enjoy creating and savoring this wonderfully wholesome and flavorful galette. It’s more than just a meal; it’s a comforting experience that celebrates simple, seasonal ingredients prepared with a touch of rustic elegance.

(Recipe adapted from lorinarlock on Food52)