- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total time
- 80 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 380 kcal
Quick summary
“This rustic pie combines roasted butternut squash, sautéed mushrooms, and spinach on a velvety base of ricotta and goat cheese. The golden, flaky pastry supports the vegetables.”
What you need to know
- Creamy three-cheese base: mixing fresh ricotta, goat cheese, and parmesan ensures moisture without wetting the bottom.
- Previous sautéing of vegetables: sautéing pumpkin and mushrooms until the water evaporates prevents the puff pastry from softening.
- Closing in manual folds: folding the free edges over the filling retains the juices while baking.
Ingredients
Main
- roll (approx. 300g) Puff pastry or shortcrust pastry (ready-made)
- g, cut into small cubes Butternut squash (or kabocha squash)
- medium, thinly sliced Red onion
- g, sliced Mushrooms (Paris or shiitake)
- g Espinafre fresco
- g Fresh ricotta
- g, crumbled Goat cheese (chèvre)
- g Queijo Parmesão ralado
- egg yolk, for brushing Egg
- tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
- cloves, minced Garlic
- teaspoon, chopped Fresh thyme
- teaspoon, chopped Alecrim fresco
- taste Salt
- taste Black pepper
Instructions
Principal
- Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. This step is crucial to ensure your galette doesn't stick and bakes evenly, resulting in a crispy, golden base, essential for the success of the recipe and its impeccable presentation.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the pumpkin and red onion, sautéing for about 8-10 minutes, until they are soft and lightly caramelized. The professional technique is to cook slowly to extract the natural sweetness of the vegetables, significantly intensifying the filling's flavor.
- Add the mushrooms and minced garlic to the skillet, cooking for another 5-7 minutes, until the mushrooms release their water and brown. Add the spinach, thyme, and rosemary, cooking until the spinach wilts. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and set aside, allowing the filling to cool a little to facilitate handling.
- In a small bowl, mix the ricotta, goat cheese, and half of the parmesan. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. This creamy base will be the first layer, adding moisture and flavor to the roasted vegetables. The most common mistake is not seasoning this cheese mixture properly, resulting in a filling without life and complexity.
- Unroll the puff pastry onto parchment paper. Spread the ricotta and goat cheese mixture over the dough, leaving a border of approximately 4-5 cm free around it. This margin is fundamental so that you can fold the dough, forming the sides of the galette in an impeccable and secure way.
- Distribute the vegetable filling over the layer of cheeses. Carefully fold the edges of the dough over the filling, creating a rustic and slightly irregular look. The most important tip is not to worry about perfection, as the beauty of the galette lies in its artisanal and unpretentious charm, making each piece unique.
- Brush the edges of the dough with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese over the filling. Bake in a preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the dough is golden and crispy, and the filling is bubbling. The secret of this recipe is the exact cooking point of the dough, which must be crispy and well-baked for the ideal texture.
- Remove the galette from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the flavors to settle and the galette to maintain its structure when cut. In simple terms: Patience after the oven is a virtue that enhances the final result, delivering a complete gastronomic experience.
Chef's tips
- Cut the squash cubes small and regular so they cook evenly in the same time as the mushrooms in the skillet.
- Wait for the vegetable saute to cool completely before spreading over the cold dough so as not to melt the butter.
- Brush the folded edge with the egg yolk beaten with a drop of water for a shiny, golden finish.
Variations
- Crunchy walnut touch: sprinkle toasted chopped nuts or chestnuts over the vegetables before closing the galette.
- Version with smoked bacon: add small cubes of fried, crispy bacon to the sautéed pumpkin and fresh mushrooms.
- Sage scent: substitute the thyme with fresh sage leaves fried in olive oil before final assembly.
Substitutions
- Butternut squash: use firm cooked kabocha squash in cubes, pumpkin, or purple sweet potato cubes.
- Chèvre goat cheese: replace with crumbled feta cheese, mild gorgonzola cheese, or grated aged Minas cheese.
- Ready-made puff pastry: traditional buttery brisée dough or homemade shortcrust pastry can be used for pies.
How to store
Store the baked galette in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat while keeping the base crispy, place in a preheated oven at 180°C for 10 minutes on a flat baking sheet.
Can it be frozen?
Freeze the assembled raw galette on a baking sheet and then wrap in plastic wrap for up to 2 months. Bake directly from the freezer in an oven at 190 °C, adding 10 minutes to the regular time.
What to serve with
Serve accompanied by a fresh salad of wild arugula leaves seasoned with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, creamy roasted tomato soup, or a glass of Chardonnay white wine.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to cook the pumpkin in water beforehand?
No, sautéing the thin cubes in the skillet with olive oil for 10 minutes is enough to soften before completing the cooking in the oven.
Does the spinach release too much water in the pie?
Saute the spinach in the skillet until completely wilted and drain any residual liquid in a sieve before adding to the filling.
Can I use shortcrust pastry instead of puff pastry?
Yes, the brisée dough provides a crumbly and buttery texture that supports the weight of the vegetables and the creaminess of the cheeses very well.
How do I ensure the galette dough does not stay raw at the bottom?
Bake the galette on the bottom rack of the oven at 190 °C on parchment paper and ensure the vegetable filling is completely cold when assembling.
