Leek & Goat Cheese Galette

Happy Spring Eve & MOST importantly Happy 1st Birthday to our niece Amelia Polly Madrigal!!! (don't worry there are cute pictures of Amelia at the end of the post.)

I think the Eve of Spring warrants something green and "alive" looking and leeks perfectly fit the bill. I recently raided the Providence Library and took home Deborah Madison's book "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone." (Read Gourmet Magazine's book review.) This galette is featured in her book (along with a thousand other tasty things...) Galettes are perfect for people who are afraid of vegetarian food because who doesn't like something wrapped in pastry dough?


Leek & Goat Cheese Galette
6 large leeks, include an inch of green
3 tbs butter
1 tsp chopped thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup cream or creme fraiche
salt and freshly milled pepper
1 egg, beaten
3 tbs chopped parsley or 1 tbs chopped tarragon (I left this out b/c we didn't have any handy)
1/2 to 1 cup soft goat cheese to taste, approx. 4 oz
Galette Dough (posted below)

Thinly slice and wash the leeks. You should have about 6 cups.
Melt the butter in a medium skillet. Add the leeks, thyme and 1/2 cup water. Stew over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the leeks are tender, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and continue cooking until it's reduce, then add the cream and cook until it just coats the leeks and little liquid remains. Season with salt and plenty of pepper. Let cool 10 minutes, then stir in all but 1 tbs of the beaten egg and 2 tbs of the parsley.
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Roll out the dough for one large or six individual galettes. Spread the leek mixture on top, leaving a 2-inch border around the edge. Crumble the cheese over the top then fold the dough over the filling. Brush with the reserved egg and bake until the crust is browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove, scatter the remaining parsley over the top and serve.

Galette Dough
Makes one large galette or twelve 3-inch turnovers
2 cups all-purpose or whole-wheat pastry flour (I used whole wheat pastry)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs sugar (I left this out)
12 tbs cold, unsalted butter cut into small pieces
1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water as needed
Mix the flour, salt and sugar together in a bowl. Cut in the butter by hand or using a mixer with the paddle attachment, leaving some pea-sized chunks. Sprinkle the ice water over the top by the tablespoon and toss it with the flour mixture until you can bring the dough together into a ball. Press it into a disk and refrigerate for 15 minutes if the butter feels soft.

To form a galette, roll it out on a lightly floured counter into a 14-inch counter into a 14-inch irregular circle about 1/8 inch thick. Fold it into quarters and transfer it to the back of a sheet pan or a cookie sheet without sides. Unfold it. It will be larger than the pan.

Newborn Amelia! March 19th 2008

Big Girl Amelia!