For some reason, fall always seems like a time for new beginnings. I know, I know: It’s when everything outside starts dying and withering and the natural world in general practically faints until spring, so how can it be particularly invigorating? Well, if you like quiet, peace and solitude, this ease of hibernation is like a breath of fresh air. Not that I don’t like summer, I definitely do. It’s just that summer is so busy and hectic and hectic that by the time it’s over I’m completely exhausted and I just want to curl up in a cave with a roaring fire, some soup and a good book and camp out there until spring. It’s time to step back from the world, nestle and create comfort for yourself. And for me a big part of that is baking and enjoying the cozy flavors of the season, hence this richly decorated mushroom galette.
Now, don’t let the fancy exterior put you off: the filling is of the simplest, most delicious kind. Sauteed Mushrooms, Garlic and Onions with Herbed Thyme and Crumbled Sharp Chevre Cheese, it’s a very easy filling to make and allows the flavors of each comforting element to shine to their fullest. I don’t expect you to decorate your mushroom galette festively like this, though; even some simple cutouts with a leaf-shaped cookie cutter will add a festive, autumnal feel. Or you can forgo decorations altogether and keep it simple with a simple undecorated top crust, just be sure to poke holes in the top to let steam escape.
And it’s important to note that this mushroom galette requires browning the filling first to cook the water out of the mushrooms and onions before placing it in the galette. The key to making any shortcrust pastry with pre-cooked filling is to make sure the filling is FULLY cooled before assembling it onto the shortcrust pastry dough, otherwise the butter in the shortcrust pastry will melt from the hot filling and you’ll end up with an absolute mess of shortcrust pastry. soggy shortcrust pastry. So I recommend making the mushroom filling the day before and refrigerating it overnight, or making the filling in the morning and letting it chill until you start making the pasta later in the day. And just so you know, you can do this with any type of mushroom (that’s safe to eat, of course). Chanterelles, shiitake, maitake, cremini, white buttons – they’ll all taste stellar here as long as you follow the directions. I hope you enjoy it, my friend, and soak up the tasty magic of mushroom season while it’s around. (And I have more mushroom recipes here and here and here if you’re looking for some fall recipes to dive into!)
Mushroom Galette with Thyme, Garlic and Chevre
Thyme + garlic crust
-
1
egg
Cold -
1
teaspoon
vinegar -
from 6 to 7
spoons
ice water -
3
cups
Flour -
1
table spoon
granulated sugar -
1 1/2
teaspoons
Dried thyme -
1
teaspoon
kosher salt -
1
teaspoon
garlic powder -
1
pinch
Cream of tartar -
1
cup
unsalted butter
cold and hard, cut into spoonfuls
Stuffed with mushrooms and Chevre
-
3
spoons
extra virgin olive oil -
1
large yellow onion
chopped -
6
Cloves
garlic
chopped -
2
teaspoons
sherry vinegar -
1
pound
mushrooms
cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices -
1
teaspoon
kosher salt -
1
teaspoon
dried thyme leaves -
1/4
teaspoon
rubbed sage -
1/4
teaspoon
black pepper -
8
ounces
Chevre
crumbled
Egg washing
-
1
egg beaten with 1 teaspoon of milk
Thyme + garlic crust
-
Beat the egg with the vinegar and 3 tablespoons of ice water and set aside. Follow the instructions below, depending on whether you want to make the crust by hand or if you want to use a food processor.
-
MANUAL METHOD: Mix together the flour, sugar, thyme, salt, garlic powder and cream of tartar in a large bowl. Using a box grater, grate the butter using the large hole setting of the grater over the bowl, stopping to stir with a fork and coating the butter pieces in the flour mixture every 10 seconds or so. Once all the butter is incorporated, blend the mixture together with your fingertips until it resembles the consistency of damp sand. Add the water, a spoonful at a time, mixing with a fork, until the dough is well compacted when you squeeze a handful in your hands.
-
COOKING PROCEDURE: Cut the butter into individual tablespoons and set aside. Place the flour, sugar, salt, sage, onion powder, and cream of tartar into the food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the slices of butter and blend until the butter is reduced to pieces roughly the size of a pea. Run the machine while you add the egg mixture, letting it blend for 5 seconds after adding the liquid. DO NOT over mix. Add remaining ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing as you add, until dough holds together. It should not be too wet and sticky, nor too crumbly.
-
Divide the dough into two equal parts, wrap them in cling film or cling film and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Stuffed with mushrooms and Chevre
-
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and reduce the heat to medium-low and stir to combine. Cook until the onions are translucent and lightly browned around the edges, about 12 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
-
Add the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes until the garlic is very fragrant, stirring every minute or so. Add 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar, then add mushrooms, salt, thyme, sage, pepper, and the remaining tablespoon olive oil. Stir to combine. Cook until the mushrooms release their water, have softened and darkened in color and are fragrant, and the water they have released has evaporated, about another 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so. Stir in the last teaspoon of sherry vinegar, remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. After it has cooled, add the crumbled chevre. If you prepare the filling the day before, place it in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator overnight.
Assembly
-
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll out a portion of the dough into a circle and cut 2 inches around the edge. Cut decorative shapes (leaves, etc.) from the 2-inch border piece and set aside. Lightly brush the decorative cutouts with beaten egg, then lightly brush the circle with beaten egg and place the decorative cutouts on top. Use a paring knife to poke 3 vent holes in different parts of the crust. Place the decorated circle in the freezer for 30 minutes to solidify.
-
Roll out the other part of the dough into a large circle about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer it to a rimmed baking tray lined with baking paper (it’s okay if the edges stick out a little, we’ll fold it over the filling). Spread the cooled mushroom filling evenly in the center of the circle, leaving a 2-inch gap around the edges. Place the decorated circle on top of the mushroom filling and fold the edges of the bottom crust over the top. Lightly brush exposed edges of folded crust with beaten egg. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 50 minutes.
