This is another savoury spring galette that uses our Flourist Sifted Spelt Flour exclusively in the pastry dough. You'll find that galettes are truly adaptable depending on the types of vegetables you have on hand. To round out the meal we added an egg before baking. Did you miss our first one? Check out the Zucchini Leek and Spring Pea Galette.
Spring Ricotta Asparagus + Zucchini Galette with Egg
Spelt Pastry Dough
2 2⁄3 cup (368g) Flourist Sifted Spelt Flour
1 cup butter (227g), cold and cut into cubes
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup ice cold water, or as needed
Yields: dough for 2 large (approximately 9 inch) galettes
Tip: One of the keys to flaky pastry is keeping all the ingredients, including your tools, as cold as possible. Leave them to chill in the refrigerator before you start your work.
Filling1/2 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
1 medium zucchini
2 eggs
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
1 egg, beaten
Fresh lemon zest to garnish
Fresh herbs to garnish, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Yields: 2 large (approximately 9 inch) galettes
Tip: Generally it's better to pre-cook your filling before assembly and to have a thin barrier between the pastry dough and filling (we used ricotta cheese here but you can also use Dijon mustard, pesto, grated cheese).
Make the dough
Combine flour and salt in a large metal mixing bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Mix apple cider vinegar and water and keep chilled.
Add cubed butter to the flour and toss lightly with your hands to coat. Using your fingers, press butter into flat sheets, tossing with flour as you work to make sure each piece of butter is well coated. You want to aim for butter pieces that range from the size of a dime to a quarter.
A tablespoon at a time, drizzle the vinegar-water mixture along the side of the bowl, allowing it to trickle towards the flour mixture. Use your hand or a fork to flick the flour mixture towards the centre of the bowl, rotating the bowl as you go. Repeat with 4 tbsp of liquid. The flour mixture should start forming larger clusters.
After adding 5 tbsp of liquid, take a handful of the flour mixture in your hands and squeeze gently. If it easily holds together without falling apart, enough liquid has been added. If it easily breaks apart, continue adding 1 tbsp of liquid at a time, checking the consistency after each addition until the just dough holds together. Add liquid sparingly.
Form into two circular discs and individually with plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
Make the filling
Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Blanche asparagus in water for 1 minute, drain and rinse with cold water. Using a vegetable peeler, slice zucchini lengthwise into ribbons. Season ricotta cheese with salt and pepper.
Assemble and bake
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove dough from the fridge. Lightly flour your rolling pin and roll the pastry dough out to a 12-inch circle, approximately 1⁄8-1/4" thick. Gently place on a prepared baking sheet and place in refrigerator. Repeat with second pastry dough.
Spread the seasoned ricotta cheese between the two pastry doughs, leaving about 3 inches from the edge. Evenly sprinkle the chopped capers on top. Decoratively top with zucchini ribbons and create a 'nest' with the asparagus, leaving the same amount of distance from the edge. Fold edges of dough over the filling, tucking and overlapping slightly as needed. Place in refrigerator to chill for 30-45 minutes, the colder the better.
When ready to bake, brush the dough edges with egg wash and carefully crack an egg into each asparagus 'nest' (you can crack the egg into a bowl first to ensure the yolk is intact). Bake for about 30-40 minutes until deep golden brown. Let cool slightly and garnish with lemon zest and freshly chopped herbs.
