With seasonal vegetables, rustic galette is easier than pie for supper
While a summer fruit pie, with jeweled, juicy berries or plump peaches, is a revelation, I bake only so many — because who wants to turn on the oven in July?
But come November, nothing is cozier than a kitchen with a preheating oven and a disk of pie dough on the counter, waiting for something delicious to hug.
Pies are great, but crostatas and galettes are even easier. Both are simply a rustic pie that’s made without a pie dish (crostatas are Italian and galettes are French), with the edges folded over any way the chef sees fit.
A sweet galette, stuffed with fall fruits, softened in butter with a little brown sugar, and maybe some cinnamon or rosemary, is a simple dessert — think plums, pears or apples. But galettes are easy to take in a savory direction, which turns them into a fine weeknight supper.
If you have a favorite pie dough recipe, use it. But if you don’t, don’t let that stop you. Pick up a nice quality prepared piecrust that you roll out (not the kind that comes in an aluminum dish), and simply roll, fill and fold.
This savory pie embraces autumn with winter squash, sweet brussels sprouts and a substantial green like chard (kale would work great too), bound together with a bit of ricotta cheese, herbs and olives.
It’s a welcome savory brunch dish and makes an envy-inducing brown bag lunch. It’s just as delicious cold or at room temperature as it is warm from the oven.