My father is wrong. (Sorry, Dad.) Great food is a sensory experience on every level. Taste is dependant on the olfactory sense; mouth-feel is an important factor in the eating process; we even enjoy the sounds our foods make (don't you love the crunch of breaking through an apple's crisp skin?). The visionary aspects of food are as important as any other-- not more important, but equally so.
That may be why I enjoy this galette so much. The flavors meld beautifully-- the sweetness of the caramelized squash plays on the onion's natural juices, and the soft warmth of the apple flows into the rich onion sugar. The crust is flakey, buttery and smooth. All told it makes for a savory delight-- hightened even more by the prettiness of the pattern: apple, onion, squash; apple, onion, squash. It's one I plan to repeat over and over.
Butternut Squash, Apple and Onion Galette
adapted from the Food Network Kitchens Cookbook
For the dough:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
pinch salt
8 tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
For the filling:
1 large baking apple (I used Cortland)
1/2 medium butternut squash (about 3/4 pound), seeded but skin on
1 small yellow onion, peeled and root end trimmed (but intact)
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp whole-grain mustard
1/3 cup cheese (I've used crumbled gorgonzola and shredded cheddar here with equal success)
-- Mix flour and salt together. Add butter and combine with your hands-- this is similar to making a fruit crumble topping. When mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with a few bite-sized bits of butter, add the egg and mix well. Shape dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
-- Halve and core the apple. Cut each half into 8 equal-sized wedges and place in mixing bowl. Slice the squash and onion into similar sized pieces; add to mixing bowl. Add rosemary and thyme to melted butter-- toss gently with fruit to combine. Season with salt and pepper; toss again.
-- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll the dough (on lightly floured surface) into a 12-inch disk. It does not need to be perfect-- galettes are supposed to be rustic. Transfer to a baking sheet and spread mustard around the galette-- leave a clean two inch border at the edges.
-- Starting at this 2 inch border, layer squash, apple and onion slices on top of each other, forming concentric circles-- if there are extra pieces, tuck them in where they look nice. This is not rocket science-- it's food. Make it look pretty if you can, but most importantly get all the good stuff in there!
-- Fold and pleat dough over the edges of the filling. Bake until the crust is golden brown (yes, it should look deeply browned in the oven) and the apple, squash and onions are tender and caramelized. This will take between 45 -- 55 minutes, depending on your oven. Scatter cheese over filling and bake until melted, about 5 minutes.
-- Cool the galette briefly on a wire rack. Cut into wedges and serve.
