Holiday Recipe: Acorn Squash Galette with Goat Cheese

RECIPE BY LEANDRA ROUSE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM EMMONS

A savory galette is a great addition to any holiday table. Not only is the dish impressive yet surprisingly easy to make. And who doesn’t like pie for dinner? 

Acorn squash main dishes are trending this holiday season for good reason: They add brightness to the table. Combining the sweetness of the squash and caramelized onions with juicy tanginess of the cherry tomatoes and creamy goat cheese gives a burst of flavor and color as temperatures cool. 

A galette is a rustic pie crust that can serve as an easy catchall recipe to turn just about any seasonal fruits or vegetables  into a filling meal or dessert. In this recipe we feature acorn squash, caramelized onions, and goat cheese. This combo pairs nicely with holiday flavors and squash is a vegetable people often plenty of. Other favorite winter toppings are patty pan squash, slow roasted tomatoes, or leeks and kale. And of course, plums, apples, and pears make for a great sweet galette. 

This crust is uncomplicated, using whole wheat and olive oil. It is wholesome and nutty, but still rich and flaky. When making a galette the crust is your first chance to infuse flavor into the dish. This version is simple and dairy-free, but you could build on the flavor and texture with additions such as cornmeal, dried herbs, or parmesan cheese. Plus, pre-roasting the squash gives the vegetables time to develop a deep rich sweetness.

INGREDIENTS: 

Parchment paper or silicone baking mat

For the crust:

1 cup (120g) whole-wheat flour

3/4 cup (95g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 1/2 teaspoons (7 g)  salt

1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil

1/3 cup (80ml) water

2 teaspoons (10 ml) red wine vinegar, divided

For the filling: 

1 acorn squash (approximately 1 lbs or 450 g), peeled, sliced into half moons 

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil

1 teaspoon (5 g)  kosher (coarse) salt (divided during preparation)

1 teaspoon (5 g) fresh ground pepper (divided during preparation)

1 medium Vidalia (sweet) onion, sliced into rings

½ teaspoon (3 ml)  balsamic vinegar 

8 cherry tomatoes, halved 

1 tablespoon (15 g) Dijon mustard

6 tablespoons (85 g) of goat cheese

3 sprigs thyme, fresh    

INSTRUCTIONS: 

For the pie crust: Whisk the  flour and salt in a large bowl, add the olive oil and mix gently with a fork until crumbly. Slowly add the  water until it just combines to make a soft dough ball. Add the water in small amounts, you may not need all of it. Don’t over handle the dough as this will make it tough. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap (food wrap) and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. 

For the filling: Next preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Peel, deseed, and slice the acorn squash into ½ moons. Add to a large baking sheet with one tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper. Roast the squash for approximately 20 minutes, or until they can be pierced with a fork and are beginning to brown. Because they will bake again with the galette, it is better if they are firm   than overly soft. 

While the squash is roasting, heat the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil in a pan. Add the sliced onion to pan and cook over low heat. Cook slowly, making sure the onions do not stick to the pan. Continue, until the onions are a rich brown color, approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Sprinkle with salt about 10 minutes into the cooking process. (One trick to keeping the onions from drying out as they cook is to add a little water to the pan as needed.) At the end of the cooking process, add the balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan and bring out some additional flavor to the onions.

For the galette: Once the dough is firm and the cooked ingredients are ready, preheat the oven to 400F (200C), and set racks in the middle position. Create a workspace on the counter by tearing a piece of parchment paper (greaseproof paper) the size of a baking sheet (oven tray). Place it on the counter and lightly dust with flour.

Unwrap the dough and place it on the paper. Sprinkle the dough with flour and roll into a round about 12 inches (30cm) wide. Transfer the paper with the rolled-out dough on it to a rimmed baking sheet (oven tray). 

First spread Dijon mustard evenly onto the dough, leaving a 1 ½ inch (4cm) border. Spoon the caramelized onions evenly over the mustard. Lay the squash half moons evenly over the onions. Drop small spoonfuls of goat cheese around the squash, and finally top it all with cherry tomatoes and a few thyme sprigs. Gently fold the edges of the dough over the filling, pleating it about every 2 inches (5cm).

Bake until the crust is firm and golden-brown, about 30 minutes. Let the galette cool for at least 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with the reserved thyme and serve warm, cut into wedges.

Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITION FACTS (PER SERVING): 

Calories 330

Protein 7 g

Total fat 19 g

Saturated fat 4 g

Cholesterol 5 mg

Carbs 34 g

Fiber 4 g

Total sugars 4 g

Added sugars 0 g

Sodium 1000 mg