Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems. ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

This one's a keeper.

Remember all the veggies that we bought on Sunday at the Farmer's market.
  I said, yesterday, that I wanted to make a vegetable galette with all those tasty little squash that we got at the market and some of my abundant tomatoes from the garden. .
I started with this recipe and made some major changes for lack of  ingredients.
The dough was pretty basic accept that it called for cream cheese. Never did that before, but it sounded good, so I tried it. I did half unbleached all purpose flour and half whole wheat. I also put wine vinegar in the ice water, like my mom always did, and looked it up to see why. Lots of controversy on this and endless discussion on the subject. Some folks even use Vodka. Amazing.  Take a look at this link. I, personally, don't think it matters what you put in the ice water, but I will continue to use wine vinegar because mom always did it and I'm kind of partial to my mother's old recipes. She made excellent pies. Why change something that works. There is one thing I have never done. I don't use LARD, for savory pies, like she did. She never used butter, either, until her neighbor made a pie for us using butter. Then, once in a while, Mom would make a crust with butter. But not often. She always used Crisco.  I like butter in the crust, especially for fruit pies. It's delicious. You have to like what your are cooking or baking. It's too much work to create dishes that you can't tweak to your liking.
I used cottage cheese in the filling because I didn't have any ricotta. I didn't have any mozzarella so I just didn't use any substitute for it at all. I didn't have fresh thyme. I used some dried thyme and added some dried Tarragon too. I layered the sliced squash and then covered them with  thin slices of tomato and topped it all with some olive oil and some hard Irish cheese that I get at Costco.
I always use a whole egg, not just the yolk, to wash the dough with. The rest is up to you.
It turned out beautiful... and RUSTIC. I felt very European and creative.
This Galette is so beautiful and the fragrance in the kitchen is to die for.

This beautiful open vegetable pie and a salad were a wonderful dinner.
I can't tell you how good this was. Do try it.
It makes quite a mess, but you can clean it all up while the Galette is in the oven.
Then sit down and have a glass of wine... and another with dinner.
I think that next time I will use less of the filling and more vegetables, but all the same, it was a great dinner and a wonderful way to use your excess vegetables. This recipe is very adaptable. You can really use any vegetables you want. I forgot the fresh basil. That was almost a sin. Don't forget the basil.
Please try this. It's sooo good.
And remember 9-11 today. Remember how it happen and why. 

12 comments:

  1. I had just been wondering what else to do with my zucchini and here's the answer! Oh, does this sound and look good.

    My trip to the store tomorrow will include cream cheese and a bottle of wine. Nummy.

    Great pics.

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  2. If I were the Prospector...I'd love you too
    wow...looks delish

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  3. oh my...it looks really good..and sounds really good....and i have not had dinner yet...so i am jealous...smiles....

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  4. It has that artisanal (spelling?) appeal! Yum!
    I never knew about the vinegar...I'll have to try it.

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  5. You once again out did yourself. Everything looks so good. Have a blessed evening. Madeline

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  6. That is a work of art! I think your version looks much better than the recipe you altered! It's so satisfying when a new recipe turns out great, isn't it?

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  7. This looks so yummy! Will you come cook for me??
    ~~Lori

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  8. I'm always up for a new recipe...think I'll try this one, it looks delish!

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  9. Oh gosh, this sounds so good. I love vegetables but they're hard to find around here lately. You're lucky to have them.

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