Zucchini, Caramelized Onion, and Thyme Goat Cheese Galette
Tender zucchini, swirled over sweet onions and creamy goat cheese, all wrapped up in the flakiest, most buttery pastry crust.
Ingredients
- 3 large sweet onions
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 3-4 small zucchinis
- 8 oz. goat cheese softened to room temperature
- 2 tbsp half and half (or whole milk)
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
- extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp semolina flour
- 1 egg
Pastry Dough
- 1 ⅓ cup all purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ sticks salted butter chilled
Instructions
Pastry Dough
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt with a fork.
- Cut the chilled butter into 2-inch chunks and sprinkle them into the flour mixture. Using clean hands, press the butter into the flour. Use firm, sweeping motions with your palm to flatten and fold the butter into the flour, creating sheets or layers of butter.
- When the butter has been mostly flattened and worked into the flour, drizzle 3 tablespoons of cold water onto the mixture. Continue to fold the layers over each other until the dough forms a loose ball. If it won't come together, drizzle one more tablespoon of water over the dough and continue folding.
- When the dough is mostly combined with a few rough edges (no need to get it perfectly smooth and combined), fold into a square, wrap with plastic wrap, and allow to rest in the refrigerator, at least 30 minutes.
Zucchini, Caramelized Onion, and Thyme Goat Cheese Galette
- Make the pastry dough and allow to chill while the rest of the ingredients are prepared.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F, using the convection setting if you have one.
- Thinly slice or dice the sweet onions. Melt 2 tablespoons salted butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the onions to the pan.
- Slowly cook the onions, stirring often, until they soften and begin to brown. Season with salt and pepper. Be careful not to let the onions scorch or burn - caramelizing onions is a slow process. Lower the heat or add a little water or oil to the pan if you find the onions are beginning to burn or stick.
- Continue cooking and stirring the onions over the next 30-45 minutes, until a golden brown color is reached and the onions are completely soft.
- While the onions cook, prepare the zucchini. Using a knife or mandoline, slice the zucchinis into ¼ inch thick circles. Lightly salt the circles, then place them into a baking dish. Bake the zucchini slices at 300°F for 20-30 minutes until partially cooked. This step will reduce the amount of moisture added to the galette from the zucchinis.
- Prepare the Thyme Goat Cheese: Using a spatula, beat together the goat cheese, half and half, thyme leaves, ½ tsp salt, and 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper until a smooth mixture is formed.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Assemble the galette: Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper, then sprinkling ½ tablespoon semolina flour onto the parchment paper. Lightly dust a clean counter with flour. Roll out the pastry dough with a floured rolling pin into a circle, about 14 inches in diameter. The dough should be about ⅛ inch thick evenly across the circle. If the dough deeply cracks outward toward the edges, lightly pull, overlap, and pinch the cracks back together. Some small (1-2 inch) cracks toward the edges are fine.
- When you are finished rolling, transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. I like to do this by gently folding the dough circle in half, then in half again, taking care not to crack or break the dough. Then lift the folded dough onto the baking sheet and unfold back into the original circle.
- Sprinkle the remaining ½ tablespoon of semolina flour over the surface of the pastry dough. Spread the goat cheese mixture onto the dough, leaving a 2-3 inch border of dough around the edges. Layer the caramelized onions over the goat cheese in an even layer, then arrange the zucchini circles in an even layer over the onions.
- When you have finished covering the onion layer with zucchini circles, sprinkle the zucchini with salt and pepper and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
- Gently fold the edges of the dough over the zucchini. Beat the egg, then brush the beaten egg over the dough. Sprinkle the dough with salt and pepper. Sprinkle additional thyme leaves over the zucchini, if desired.
- Bake the galette at 375°F for 50-55 minutes, until the crust is golden and flaky.
- Allow the galette to cool for 5-10 minutes, then slice and serve with a fork.