Prep: 20 mins Cook: 40 mins Total: 1 hr Servings: 8 Yield: 8 servings
Growing up in Wisconsin, we had a patch of rhubarb growing in our backyard, and I loved all of the delicious desserts my Mom would make when it was in season. This recipe is my spin on her strawberry-rhubarb cake. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, if desired.
True happiness has nothing to do with making everything perfect, or denying the imperfections of things. It’s often the imperfections that make something or someone so loveable, so beautiful, so memorable, and even so forgivable. ~Jeff Foster
There is so much flavor bursting from this Savory Galette. A flaky tender crust made with a bit of earthy rye flour, perfectly complimented with creamy leek and kale filling with just the right amount of tang. The crust is made with “rough puff” pastry dough, a galette dough you’ll want to keep in your back pocket for down the road, and your own creative fillings.
What I love about this galette dough, is that it comes together much faster than traditional puff pastry, yet it is still flaky and tender. You can make it a couple of days ahead for less prep time and even keep some in the freezer for spontaneous inspiration. Alternatively, it is also totally fine to use pre-made puff pastry dough!
While it may look as though there are a lot of steps here, it all comes together fairly easily, especially if you make the rough puff dough a day or two ahead. It is so worth the effort! And once you get the hang of it, it is fun to make. This is a much requested special occasion dish in our house.
what is rough puff pastry?
It is a faster variation of a classic puff pastry dough- (think croissants). Traditional puff pastry consists of laminating one big block of butter between the dough, which is a process that takes several hours of rolling, refrigerating and patience. Ruff Puff gets its flaky layers by using large chunks of butter in the dough. Instead of rolling out by hand, we let the food processor do some of the work of incorporating the butter into the dough. Though it is not quite as delicate as traditional puff, it still yields a flaky dough in significantly less time. Thirty minutes of hands-on time will have you on your way to a lovely tender pastry crust.
why should i make galette dough?
It is not as difficult as you may think and it will elevate the overall dish.
It makes a perfectly flaky crust for tarts, galettes, and other delicacies.
You can make it a few days ahead of time, making prep time easier. It also freezes well! Store for up to a month in the freezer.
how to make the galette dough:
It starts with chilled flour and very cold butter.
In a food processor pulse just a little- you want the chunks of butter to be visible, more of a pinto bean size rather than the usual pea-size.
Empty flour into a cold bowl. Keep all ingredients chilled! This makes for a more flaky crust.
Add cold water and vinegar. Vinegar helps tenderize the dough by inhibiting gluten development and keeps the dough from oxidizing and turning gray.
Bring together as best you can with just a couple of stirs. VERY important not to over mix.
The dough is very shaggy! You will probably have some dry flour bits, but don’t worry! With a little patience and trust, it will come together.
Pat it into a 4×4 block as best you can. Refrigerate, sealed in plastic, for half an hour. In this time the flour will begin to hydrate.
Lightly flour as needed for the rolling pin and on top of the dough. Roll out into a 5×11 rectangle- approximately.
Let it be cracky and rough.
Fold the galette dough over on itself in thirds. Also called a letter fold.
Square up the sides and ends with a bench scraper by just lightly tapping in.
Turn the dough so the short side is towards you and repeat the rolling process 2 more times.
This is what gives you the luscious flaky layers of dough.
how to roll out galette dough:
roll the dough out to a 5 x 11 rectangle
letter fold the dough
turn short side toward you and repeat this 2 more times.
On the third turn fold the dough in half. At this point refrigerate for 45 minutes or up to 3 days. Or freeze up to one month!
Once the galette dough is chilling you can start on the filling. It comes together pretty fast!
Chop up the leeks, garlic and kale.
Saute them with olive oil. Set aside when tender.
Pull the galette dough out of the fridge. Let it rest 20 minutes before rolling.
Roll the galette dough out on a piece of parchment to 1/8 of an inch thick and in an approximant 14-inch circle.
Spread a little mascarpone cheese on the rolled out dough all but the outer 2 inches.
TIP: Cutting the edges of the dough with a sharp knife will make them puff up more.
Lay filling and grated gruyere cheese on top of the mascarpone.
Brush the outside 2 inches with egg wash.
Fold the dough over the filling, pinching together every 2 inches, try not to push the dough into the filling. No need to be too fussy it’ll puff up when it bakes losing a lot of the definition.
Pour the beaten egg mixture over the filling.
Brush top with egg wash.
TIP: For a better bottom crust, bake on a pre-heated pizza stone or pre-heated cast iron pan. Carefully transferring- lifting the parchment and tart on to the stone.
Sliding onto a pizza peel or cutting board can help with the transfer.
When it comes out it will be puffed up and gloriously fragrant and golden.
Serve the savory galette like quiche for brunch or lunch with a hearty leafy green salad. Also makes a lovely appetizer.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Hope you enjoy this Savory Leek Galette! Let us know what you think in the comments below and show us your beautiful galettes on Instagram.
Instructions
Rough Puff Pastry Dough (allow 2 1/2 hours, can be made ahead)
Pulse flours, sugar, and salt in food processor to mix.
Add chilled butter pieces. Pulse 3-4 times until butter is still the size of pinto beans. Dump mixture out into a bowl. Place the bowl in the fridge for about 15 minutes to get it cold.
Remove from fridge. Add vinegar and the ice water. Gently, carefully mix the dough just until it seems well distributed. It will be very craggy and may have dry flour bits.
Dump the dough onto a piece of parchment or plastic wrap. Form dough together, as best as you can, into about a 4 x 4-inch square. Wrap up and place in the fridge for 45 minutes.
Roll out into a rectangle approximately 5 x 11. Fold the pastry in thirds widthwise, like a business letter, resulting in 3 layers of dough.
Turn the short end toward you and repeat step 6 two more times.
After the third turn fold the dough in half. Refrigerate for one hour or up to 3 days.
Rest the dough for 20 minutes at room temperature before rolling out.
Leek and Kale Filling and Galette Assembly
Set oven to 425 degrees. If using a pizza stone or cast iron pan, place in the oven now while preheating.
Saute’ kale, garlic and leeks in olive oil with the 1/4 teaspoon of salt over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Turn off heat and cover with a lid for 5-10 more minutes until tender. Add sage and parsley. Set aside.
Meanwhile in another bowl combine eggs, anchovy paste, dijon, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.
Roll out dough on a piece of parchment to 1/8 of an inch thick and in an approximate 14″ circle. Trim the edges of the dough with a sharp knife to allow them to puff up.
Spread mascarpone cheese on the rolled out circle, all but the outer 2 inches.
Lay filling and grated gruyere cheese on top of the mascarpone.
Whisk together egg wash. Brush the outside 2 inches of dough with the wash.
Fold the outer 2 inches of dough in over the filling, overlapping dough every 2-3 inches gently pinching just enough to secure.
Pour the seasoned beaten egg mixture evenly over the filling.
Brush top of the crust with egg wash.
Carefully transfer, lifting the parchment and galette onto the stone, cast iron or baking sheet. Sliding onto a pizza peel or cutting board can help with the transfer.
Bake 10 minutes then turn oven down to 375 and bake another 25-35 minutes until puffed and the crust is golden. Cool 20 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Freeze rough puff pastry dough up to one month, thawing completely before using. Letting it sit in the fridge over night works great.
For a better bottom crust, bake on a pre-heated pizza stone or pre-heated cast iron pan.
To garnish with leek rounds; brush thin slices of leeks with oil and sear for about 4-5 minutes on a hot pan. Gently remove with a metal spatula and arrange on top of baked galette.
Ingredients
Rough Puff Pastry Dough:
1 ¼ cups (6 ¼ oz) all purpose flour
¼ cup (2 ¾ oz) rye or wheat flour
1 teaspoon sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut and chilled
7 tablespoons ice water
1 teaspoon vinegar (white or apple cider)
Leek and Kale Filling
1 bunch kale, about 4 oz, ribboned and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
3 medium leeks, cleaned and chopped into 1/4 inch half moons
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional can sub miso paste)
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup 3-4 oz Comte or Gruyere or Emmental cheese, shredded
1/2 cup mascarpone
Egg Wash
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Savory Leek and Kale Galette
Print Recipe
A free-formed tender flakey crust enclosing a luscious melt in your mouth succulent filling. Leeks and kale marry with gruyere and rich mascarpone making the perfect balance of decadent and wholesome!
A free-formed tender flakey crust enclosing a luscious melt in your mouth succulent filling. Leeks and kale marry with gruyere and rich mascarpone making the perfect balance of decadent and wholesome!
Make the most of those end-of-winter persimmons with this creamy baked ricotta.
Spike Gjerde, the James Beard Award–winning chef at restaurants like A Rake’s Progress in Washington, D.C., and Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore, approaches local sourcing with religious fervor. He forgoes olive oil and lemons, using locally grown and pressed oils and vinegars in their place. His team dries mint, lavender, peaches, and cherries—and even makes garlic powder. He refuses to buy from distributors, even when they buy from local growers, because he wants every penny to go the farm. “A lot of people say, ‘Wow, this is harder than I thought.’ Then they just call [giant distributor] Sysco. But it’s why we’re doing it,” Gjerde says. “Our job is to get more value back to growers.”This recipe, from A Rake’s Progress, is inspired by Gjerde’s relationship with local makers and purveyors. Hoshigaki are Japanese persimmons that have been dried and massaged to evenly distribute their sugars. Gjerde shaves them and scatters them over baked ricotta to make an indulgent but healthy snack.
Active: 15 mins Total: 1 hr Yield: 6
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sheep’s milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 teaspoon medium-grind sea salt (such as J.Q. Dickinson)
2 tablespoons Herb Oil
1/4 ounce hoshigaki (Japanese dried persimmons), shaved on a mandoline (about 2 tablespoons)
Grilled bread, for serving
Directions:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together ricotta, egg, and salt in a medium bowl. Transfer ricotta mixture to a small (3-cup) crock or gratin dish. Bake in preheated oven until ricotta mixture is puffed and golden brown in spots, 45 to 50 minutes. Drizzle herb oil over baked ricotta, and top with shaved hoshigaki. Serve hot with grilled bread.
Chicken Kastu is a Japanese version of battered and fried boneless chicken pieces. It can be eaten as a main dish or as part of a noodle or rice bowl where slices of the fried chicken is placed on top of noodles or rice. If you place it over rice it’s called Katsu Donburi which is a Chicken Katsu rice bowl with eggs.
Katsu Don is one of my favorite Japanese comfort foods. It’s very similar to my favorite Tendon or Tempura Donburi. It’s pretty much made the same way, but instead of topping it off with Shrimp Tempura you top it off with sliced Chicken Katsu.
So to make Katsu Don I make a couple of Chicken Katsu then use my recipe of Tendon. Easy peasy!
First you make the fried chicken, I prefer to use boneless skinless chicken thighs so it stays tender and juicy. I also find that thighs are tastier for this type of dish. But if you want to use boneless breasts you can, just pound it into a thin piece for easier cooking without burning the batter. I use Panko for breading, if you can’t find it at your grocery store you’ll definitely find it at an Asian Market. Or you can use plain breadcrumbs.
Rice Bowls have gotten very popular and come in endless types. But I’ve loved rice bowls long before they became all the rage. If you’re not familiar with rice bowls they’re basically a bowl of rice topped with pretty much anything you want. My favorite ones are Japanese Donburis.
Donburi is a rice bowl dish served in a bowl which in Japan are also called “donburi”. There are many different types of Donburi but the most popular ones are Tempura Donburi or better known as Tendon if it’s made with shrimp, Chicken or Pork Katsu Donburi also called Katsudon. You’ll also find Tempura Donburi with fish and vegetable tempuras, Teriyaki, and other types of popular Japanese dishes. Another basic ingredient of most Donburi dishes is egg meaning veggies and other ingredients are scrambled with eggs and a donburi sauce which is then placed on a bed of rice and topped with a desired tempura, katsu, or a preferred protein including teriyaki beef or chicken.
My long time favorite is Tendon or Shrimp Tempura Donburi. I’ve been enjoying this rice bowl since I first discovered it while I was in high school. I also like the Katsudon!
I’ve always been able to get my Tendon from most Japanese restaurants in my area, and since I live in Hawaii my neighborhood grocery store. But when the pandemic locked us down for a month I decided to try and make it at home, after all it’s just shrimp tempura, eggs, Kamaboko (fish cake) and veggies over a bed of rice. How hard could that be?
Making Tendon is actually pretty easy but it does require making Shrimp Tempura. Since I must make the tempura batter for the shrimp I also make vegetable tempura with zucchini, green beans, and pretty much what I have on hand.
Another important part of this or any Donburi is the sauce. The sauce is made with Mirin (a Japanese rice wine used for cooking), soy sauce, dashi (fish stock) and sugar. This give the dish it’s sweet salty taste that make it delicious! You can find all the ingredients at an Asian market. The Dashi usually is in powder form like boullion so you’ll have to mix it as directed to get the liquid stock.
Of course the “star” of this dish is the Shrimp Tempura. You can either use a tempura mix also found at the Asian market, or you can make your own batter. Either way the most important things to remember to make perfect tempura batter is to use ice cold water and to not over stir the batter, it needs to have some lumps in it. In fact the best way to stir this batter is with chopsticks, so leave your whisk or electric mixers out of it.
So here’s the recipe for both Shrimp Tempura (it’s the same batter for fish or vegetable tempura) and the Donburi itself. This recipe makes 2 bowls.
Tendon
Ingredients for the Tempura
1 Cup Flour, shifted
1 Egg
1 Cup water
Ice cubes for chilling water
4 Large Shrimp – shelled and deveined but leave the tail on, pat dry with paper towel
Cut vegetables – zucchini, green beans, etc. (optional)
1/8 Cup flour
Oil for frying
Ingredients for Sauce:
6 Tbs. Mirin
2 Tbs. Soy Sauce
3 Tbs. Liquid Dashi – mix Dashi powder as directed on the box
2 Tbs. Sugar
Ingredients for Donburi:
2 Eggs, beaten
1/2 Onion, sliced
1/2 Cup Shitake Mushrooms (optional)
1/2 Kamaboko, cut into thin strips (optional)
1/3 Cup Green Onions, chopped (optional)
1 Tbs. Oil
Donburi Sauce
2 Cups Cooked White Rice
Seaweed flakes (optional)
Directions to make Tempura:
Place about 2″ of oil in a pot and start to heat while you prepare the batter.
Place shifted flower in a bowl and set aside.
In another bowl slightly beat egg – beat until yolk and white is just combined.
Add ice to water until the water is chilled.
Remove ice and pour water in the bowl with the beaten egg.
Mix gently together.
Stir in flour, do not over mix there should be lumps in the batter. Use right away, if for some reason you can’t use it immediately place in the refrigerator for a few minutes until you’re ready to fry.
Place 1/8 cup of flour in a dish.
Test the oil temperature by dropping a small bit of batter in oil, if oil bubbles around the batter the oil is ready.
Roll shrimp or vegetable in the dish of flour, shake off excess.
Dip in batter, let excess batter drip off before adding into hot oil.
Place battered shrimp and veggies in hot oil to fry. Do not over crowd the pot, cook in batches if you have to.
Turn as needed to cook all sides. Tempura is done when the shrimp or vegetable starts to float.
Drain on rack and set aside.
Directions for the sauce:
Mix all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside until needed.
Directions for the Donburi:
Heat oil in a skillet.
Saute onions in skillet until it starts to go limp and clear
Add in Kamoboko, mushrooms, and green onions (reserve some as garnish if desired)
Cook about 3-4 minutes.
Add in Donburi Sauce and simmer for 1 minute.
Pour beaten egg over all and cook until egg is done.
Place 1 Cup of rice in each bowl.
Cute the Egg mixture in half and place a half over each bowl of rice.
Top with Shrimp and Vegetable (if you made some) Tempura and garnish with green onions and seaweed flakes
In another bowl slightly beat egg - beat until yolk and white is just combined.
Add ice to water until the water is chilled.
Remove ice and pour water in the bowl with the beaten egg.
Mix gently together.
Stir in flour, do not over mix there should be lumps in the batter. Use right away, if for some reason you can't use it immediately place in the refrigerator for a few minutes until you're ready to fry.
Place 1/8 cup of flour in a dish.
Test the oil temperature by dropping a small bit of batter in oil, if oil bubbles around the batter the oil is ready.
Roll shrimp or vegetable in the dish of flour, shake off excess.
Dip in batter, let excess batter drip off before adding into hot oil.
Place battered shrimp and veggies in hot oil to fry. Do not over crowd the pot, cook in batches if you have to.
Turn as needed to cook all sides. Tempura is done when the shrimp or vegetable starts to float.
Drain on rack and set aside.
Sauce
Mix all ingredients together and set aside until needed
Donburi
Heat oil in a skillet.
Saute onions in skillet until it starts to go limp and clear
Add in Kamoboko, mushrooms, and green onions (reserve some as garnish if desired)
Cook about 3-4 minutes.
Add in Donburi Sauce and simmer for 1 minute.
Pour beaten egg over all and cook until egg is done.
Divide cooked egg mixture in half and place one half on top of each bowl of rice.
Place 2 Shrimp Tempura & pieces of veggie tempura (if you made some) on top of egg.
Garnish with green onions and seafood flakes if desired.
TIP: Cutting the edges of the dough with a sharp knife will make them puff up more.
