Butternut galette an easy entree or holiday side dish

A galette is a rustic pie that can be filled with sweet or savory fillings. Since it's baked on a flat sheet, it's done in much less time than a standard pie or quiche. If  you want to make your own crust, this one from Dorie Greenspan is my favorite; reduce the sugar to 1 teaspoon for a savory dough.

But I didn't have the time, and I had a premade Trader Joe's crust in the freezer that I wanted to use up. So that became the base.

The original New York Times recipe I adapted called for fresh goat cheese, mixed with fresh herbs. Again I reached for a premade ingredient: A package of goat cheese with garlic and herbs added. That worked fine, though I'll do something else next time. The goat cheese was a little too piquant for the mellow butternut, and I realized that standard cream cheese augmented with my fresh herbs (not the stuff in tubs) would be a better pairing. Both cheese possibilities are in the recipe below.

My other adjustment was to sweat the red onions before they went into the galette filling. I didn't think they'd get cooked enough if they went into the oven raw. And after tasting the galette, I was glad I did that. Also,  yellow or white onions or even shallots would work equally well.

Butternut squash can be peeled with a vegetable peeler, a much safer method than cutting off the skin with a knife. I used about half a standard size squash. Be sure to slice it thin so it will cook to tenderness.

Butternut squash galette with onions and soft cheese

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

One (12-ounce) refrigerated premade pie crust or 9-inch homemade galette crust

1 cup thinly sliced red, white or yellow onion, or shallots

1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 generous cups peeled and thinly sliced butternut squash (1/8-inch slices ideal)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

4 ounces fresh goat cheese (plain or containing herbs) or good-quality brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh chopped mixed herbs such as chives, thyme leaves, sage, marjoram or winter savory (this is optional if using herbed goat cheese)

Salt and pepper to taste

Half and half or milk, for brushing crust

Olive oil or balsamic vinegar, for drizzling, optional

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a flat baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a skillet on medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil and add the onion slices and a sprinkling of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent but not brown.

Scrape the onions into a large bowl, add the butternut squash slices, the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil and the paprika, plus salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Stir to combine, then set aside while you prepare the galette.

In a small bowl, stir together the softened cheese, the prepared herbs and a sprinkle or two of salt and pepper.

Roll out or unfold the galette crust on a lightly floured surface. It should be about 12 inches across. The crust does not need an even edge; shaggy edges give the galette its visual charm. Move the crust to the prepared baking sheet. (Speed-up tip: If using a premade crust, put it directly onto the parchment-covered sheet and proceed as above.) 

Using an offset spatula, spread the herbed cheese in a thin layer over the dough, leaving a 2-inch border of crust uncovered.

Now add the squash and onion mixture, arranging it as evenly as possible over the cheese layer. Fold or pleat the outer edge of the crust over the vegetables, leaving the center uncovered. Moisten the crust's edges lightly with water as needed so the folds will stick together.

Brush the crust with some half and half or milk, and grind black pepper to taste over the crust.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the crust is golden and the squash is tender. (Tent with foil if the crust is browning too fast). Allow the galette to rest for 5 minutes after removing from the oven. Serve warm or room temperature. Drizzle the filling with a bit of olive oil or balsamic vinegar if desired before serving.