Zucchini Galette

Photo: Zucchini Galette
A galette is an open-face, free form pie. This savory version features herbed ricotta cheese mix and layers of sweet summer squashes.
Yield
4-8 Servings
Ingredients

Pastry

  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces (keep very cold)
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ cup ice water

Filling

  • 3 cups sliced (rounds) zucchini or summer squash
  • ½ cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 Tablespoon dried Italian herbs
  • ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. For the dough: Whisk together flour and salt in a large bowl. Place in freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
  2. When flour is cold, add chopped butter and cut into flour using forks or a pastry blender. Mixture will be quite dry, and the butter pieces should be very small.
  3. In another small bowl, whisk together sour cream, lemon juice, and water. Add this to the flour mixture. Mix until large lumps form; gently press this together into a ball (dry flour and all) and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour, up to overnight.
  4. Meanwhile, make the filling: First you need to dry zucchini: lay all zucchini rounds onto towels or paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Let rest for 30 minutes, and then dry with paper towels.
  5. Preheat oven to 400º. Sprinkle flour onto large worksurface (cutting board or countertop). Remove dough from plastic wrap, sprinkle with flour, and roll out using a rolling pin into an 18-inch circle. Carefully lift off countertop, and transfer to a rimmed cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
  6. Mix ricotta and herbs together. Spread evenly over bottom of dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Sprinkle with Parmesan and then layer zucchini on top of cheese in circles. Sprinkle on black pepper. Fold border over filling, pleating the edge to make it fit- leaving center open.
  7. Bake the galette until brown, 35-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy the galette warm, or cold.