Pea and Leek Galette

Early summer flavors abound in this pretty pea and leek galette. The herby crust uplifts the entire dish and is worth making all on its own.

Galette or Gallette?

I love these free form tarts which can be filled with anything sweet or savory, so long as the filling is not too wet. I have several versions on the blog.

But it is one L or two? A quick web search shows both spellings. Wikipedia– and more importantly– Jacques Pepin and Julia Child use a single L so that’s what I’m going to use. (I’m off to correct the spelling in one of the other posts…brb.)

2 ounces of Cheese vs 2 ounces of Cheese, Finely Grated

The crust has about 2 ounces parmesan cheese, by weight. When cut off the block the piece is about the size of my thumb, but after grating it on my microplane, I ended up with a generous, unpacked cup of shreds.

Now, 2 ounces in the US is a quarter cup. If the directions called for 2 ounces grated parmesan cheese, a 1/4 cup measure would be fine.

However, 2 ounces parmesan cheese, finely grated measures out to a much larger volume than you might expect. It’s one of those things you have to look out for when cooking, especially when preparing a recipe written by someone in another country.

In North America we use an amalgam of weight and volume and also switch back and forth from metric to standard when necessary. Eventually I think a global standard will develop. I’m noticing a lot of (younger) YouTubers and other bloggers use weights. While family style recipes have more of a mix.

Oh, that crust

This week at I Heart Cooking Clubs the theme is Garden Party. I felt Nigel Slater’s Pea, Herb and Mozzarella Pie would be a lovely addition. In fact, had the weather been cooperative, my husband and I would have eaten it outside. A garden party for two, if you will.

The savory, herb filled crust caught my attention right away. I will definitely use it again for other crusty dishes. It’s rich and cooks up with a delightful crunch. The crust held up to fridge storage, too, as it was the best part of the next day’s leftovers (more on that in a bit…)

A brief rest in the fridge while preparing the filling will help make the crust easier to roll.

I made the pastry first, then rinsed out the food processor and grated the zucchini. The zucchini should be salted and allowed to drain for a half hour or so.

While the crust and the zucchini were doing their thing I prepped the other veggies…chopped the leeks and cooked a pack of frozen peas until just crisp tender. I used a whole 12 ounce pack. In retrospect I could have used have the amount and been fine.

The veggie filling of peas, leeks and zucchini was very fresh tasting, thanks to the addition of fresh herbs and lemon zest. It would be delicious on its own. However, I feel it lacks a bit of sauce to protect the veg from the heat of the oven.

A quick solution is to add a few pats of butter to the vegetables before wrapping the crust around them to form the galette. I think the ultimate fix would be a quick pan sauce that just coats the vegetables. Sort of like a less saucy pot pie.

This is a great way to use summer squash and other vegetables, so there will be other versions of this galette. When I get the sauce issue worked out, I’ll come back and make an update.

A food processor helps with prep

In the spring I decided to upgrade from the small chopping bowl that came with my stick blender to a full sized food processor. It came in handy for this recipe. I used it to make the crust and shred the zucchini. I could have used it to shred the cheese, but I used my microplane instead, because I wanted fine shreds in the crust.

If you don’t have a food processor, no worries. Mix the crust in the largest mixing bowl you have. If you can get both hands in the bowl, you can knead the dough right there instead of tipping it out on the counter.

A standard box grater will work for the zucchini and cheese, if needed.

Pea and Leek Galette

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Course: Brunch, lunch, Main

Servings: 0

Ingredients

For the crust

• 2 ⅔ cups all purpose flour (350 gms)
• 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons or 125 gms), cut into small cubes
• 2 oz parmesan cheese, finely grated (60 gms)
• 2 tsp dried thyme, crushed (about 2 tbsp fresh leaves)
• 2 tsp dried parsley, crushed (about 2 tbsp fresh leaves)
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 ½ oz water (75 ml) You may not need it all.

For the galette

• 2 medium zucchini, washed and shredded (2 ½ – 3 cups)
• salt
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 leeks, cut into half moons, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp water
• small handful fresh mint, chopped (optional)
• 1 tsp dried thyme (about 1 tbsp fresh)
• 12 oz pack frozen peas, cooked to crisp tender
• 4 oz mozzarella
• 1 large egg, beaten with a bit of water to wash the crust before baking
• 1 medium lemon, juice and zest

Instructions

Make the crust

• Measure the flour and butter into a food processor and pulse until the butter is well incorporated into the flour. Transfer to a large mixing bowl (You can also pinch the butter into the flour in a large mixing bowl)
• Add the parmesan cheese, dried herbs and egg yolks then mix, adding enough water to form a nice dough. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Prep the zucchini

• Wipe out the food processor, if using, before the next step.
• Wash, trim and shred the zucchini. Put in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Allow to stand for 30 minutes.
• After standing, squeeze as much liquid from the zucchini shreds as you can before cooking.

For the galette

• Melt the butter in a skillet large enough to hold the leeks, zucchini and peas.
• Add the leeks and a couple tablespoons of water and cook over low heat until soft. Add the peas.
• Add the mint, herbs and lemon zest to the peas and leeks. Stir in the squeezed zucchini and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Chop, roughly shred or break the mozzarella into large pieces and scatter over the vegetables. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Roll the dough into a 10 inch circle or oval. Transfer to the baking tray and pile the filling into the center of the dough. Fold the sides up and over the filling, leaving the center open. Brush the dough with egg wash.
• Bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until the crust is cooked through and a good color. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

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I wish you lovely, no bug, weather for eating outside with your favorite person, favorite foods and favorite beverages.

Be sure to drop by I Heart Cooking Clubs to see what the other members are bringing to their Garden Parties.