Vegetable galette An open vegetable pie with blue cheese and sage

I grew up around Sunday lunches and festive occasions that always included two meats: usually a leg of lamb and a chicken or game pie or a golden brown roasted free-range chicken with all the trimmings. This autumn I am honouring the tradition of serving two meats, but am placing an elegant vegetable dish in the pie spotlight. The open pie is a display window for the beauty of autumn vegetables: wild mushrooms, a rainbow of roasted heirloom carrots, baby beets and fennel. To add more depth of flavour, you can spread a thin layer of Marmite or pesto – made with carrot and fennel leaves – over the pie base.

Serves 4–6

Preparation time 15 minute plus 30 minutes cooling time for the dough

Cooking time 40 minutes

YOU NEED

• 500 g cake wheat flour

(or use half wholewheat and half cake wheat flour)

• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) sugar

• zest of 1 lemon

• a pinch of salt

• 170 g (¾ cup or 180 ml) cold butter

• 110 ml ice water

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar

• 1 egg to brush over the dough

FOR THE FILLING

• 4–6 small rainbow carrots, sliced lengthways (retain the root tip and a portion of the stem)

• 3 baby beets with part of the stem attached, sliced in half

• 2 tiny fennel bulbs, sliced in half

• 2 tablespoon (30 ml) olive oil

• 2 shallots, finely chopped

• 200 g mixed mushrooms, halved if necessary

• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) Dijon mustard

• ½ cup (125 ml) coarsely chopped sage and parsley

• 160 g blue cheese, crumbled

THIS IS HOW

Prepare the dough Mix the flour, sugar, lemon zest and salt in a mixing bowl. Add half the butter and rub it in with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (or use a pastry cutter). Cut in the remaining butter. Combine the ice water and vinegar, add it to the flour mixture and lightly knead the dough until it forms a ball and the dough becomes smoother. Press the dough flat to form a circle or rectangle, wrap it in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (You can also use a food processor – see the tip below.)

In the meantime, make an egg wash by whisking 1 egg with a little cold water (or thick cream). Heat the oven to 200 ºC. Arrange the prepared carrots, beets and fennel on a baking tray, drizzle over the olive oil and bake the vegetables until they just start softening. Season them well with salt and pepper and allow them cool down. Mix the shallots, mushrooms, mustard and half the chopped herbs through the cooled vegetables.

Line a baking tray with baking paper. On a flour-dusted surface, roll the dough into an oblong shape (or into a 30 cm circle). Place the dough on the baking paper. Now transfer the vegetables and cheese in layers, ending with the cheese. Be sure to leave an open edge of about 5 cm all the way around. Slightly fold the edge of the dough over the vegetables and make folds in the dough. Paint the eggwash or cream over the top of the dough. Bake the galette for 40 minutes until the dough turns a deep golden brown, but ensure that the filling does not burn. Finish off with a scattering of fresh herbs and slice it at the table.

Tip -

You can also make the dough in a food processor, which also ensures minimal handling. Place the flour, sugar, lemon zest and salt in a food processor equipped with a steel blade. Pulse it three times, add all the cold butter and pulse until the butter forms peasized pieces – about 10 pulses. Add the vinegar water and pulse the mixture just until it starts to form a ball. Turn out the dough and press it flat into a circular or rectangular shape. Wrap it in clingfilm and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.