Jerusalem Artichoke and Shallot Galette
Weekend comfort food
Jerusalem artichokes are underused and underrated – so to celebrate this wonderfully nutty root veg, we’ve come up with this moreish freeform pie. Give it try: the artichokes are easier to prepare and cook than you might think!
for the pastry 300g (11oz) plain flour 175g (6oz) unsalted butter, cubed 25g (1oz) Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese, finely grated 1tsp thyme leaves, finely chopped 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten for the filling 400g (14oz) Jerusalem artichokes 200g (7oz) new potatoes 200g (7oz) small shallots, peeled 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2tbsp olive oil 1tbsp thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs 150ml (¼ pint) crème fraîche 2 medium eggs 200g (7oz) Gorgonzola (we used piccante) or vegetarian blue cheese, crumbled 1tbsp pinenuts
First make the pastry. Put the flour and butter in a food processor with a generous pinch of fine salt. Pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (or do this by hand). Tip into a large bowl, and stir in the Parmesan and thyme leaves. Make a well in the middle and, using a round-bladed knife, stir in the egg yolk and 3-4tbsp cold water. Bring together with your hands, knead briefly to a soft dough, and shape into a disc. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30min.
2 Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Thoroughly wash the artichokes and scrub clean if needed. Slice into 1cm (½in) thick rounds and transfer to a large roasting tin. Slice the potatoes in the same way and add to the tin along with the shallots, garlic, olive oil and thyme. Toss together and season with sea salt and black pepper. Roast for 30min.
3 Put a large baking sheet in oven to preheat. Once pastry has rested, remove from fridge and leave for a few min to come back to room temperature. Roll out between 2 large sheets of baking parchment to make a rough 35cm (13¾in) round about ½cm (¼in) thick.
4 Remove top sheet of parchment. Pile the roasted veg into the middle of the pastry, leaving a 4cm (1½in) border all the way around. Fold the pastry edges into the middle – if the pastry cracks when folded, pinch it to reseal.
5 Whisk the crème fraîche with one of the eggs, half the Gorgonzola and some seasoning. Add spoonfuls among the veg, then dot over the remaining cheese. Add thyme sprigs and pinenuts. Beat the remaining egg and brush the pastry border.
6 Slide on to preheated baking sheet and bake in the oven for 40-45min until pastry is crisp and golden and veg are tender.
PER SERVING 601cals, 15g protein, 42g fat (24g saturates), 39g carbs (3g total sugars), 4.5g fibre
GH TIP To make shallots easier to peel, put in a bowl and cover with just-boiled water, set aside for 1min, drain, then peel.