Words Joan Saunders
Photos Kathryn Brimacombe Photography
As it’s May, we are lucky enough to be able to take advantage of a local, extremely tasty, springtime harvest: asparagus. Pick some up at a roadside stand or farmers’ market, then see what recipe strikes your fancy. You can bake asparagus, steam it, throw it into pasta dishes or onto the barbecue, but you might want to try this gorgeous seasonal galette that features, along with the yummy asparagus, gruyere, parmesan and ricotta cheeses. Topped with roasted pine nuts, it’s a fabulous addition to a brunch, lunch or dinner.
What I love about galettes is that they are perfectly imperfect. They are supposed to be a bit rustic, and I find that this dough is easy to make and very forgiving to roll out and form into the right, sort of roundish, shape.
With a green salad, this makes a glorious Mother’s Day lunch or, served with chicken or fish, you’ll be able to put together a more substantial meal. It’s also lovely with a hearty soup, like butternut squash. Or try something like a quinoa salad, as its nutty flavours complement the unique taste of asparagus. And, while this can be a tricky vegetable as its taste can change depending on what it is paired with, the mix of cheeses, the lemon zest and the flaky pastry base meld together beautifully to highlight a wonderful, seasonal, springtime treat.
Springtime Asparagus, Gruyere and Pine Nut Galette
Crust:
¾ cup flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp salt
4 oz / ½ cup cold, unsalted butter in chunks
¼ cup sour cream
3-4 tbsp ice cold water
Filling:
1 lb fresh asparagus
kosher salt
¾ cup grated gruyere cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan
½ cup ricotta cheese
1 minced garlic clove
red pepper flakes or ground black pepper
3/4 tbsp olive oil
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp cold water, for glaze
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (can omit if preferred)
Crust: in a large bowl, combine flours and salt. Sprinkle chunks of butter over the mix and, using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work the butter into flour mixture until butter looks like small peas. Sprinkle sour cream and 3 tbsp of the water over mixture and stir/combine it together. It will form large clumps; add last tbsp of water if it does not come together. Transfer dough to a large piece of plastic wrap, pat it into a flatter circle and wrap it tightly. Chill it in fridge for 1 to 2 hours (can store it for up to 3 days). If you are in a hurry, put dough in freezer for about 25 minutes instead.
While dough is chilling, toast pine nuts. The easiest way to toast pine nuts is on the stove. Add them to a small dry skillet that fits them in a single layer. Turn heat to medium-low and cook them, stirring occasionally or tossing the skillet, until they’re golden-brown and smell quite nutty (about 3-5 minutes). Whatever you do, don’t walk away from the stove, because pine nuts go from completely white to burnt in seconds. Remove from skillet when toasted so they don’t burn.
Filling: Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus, then cut the tips into 3/4 inch pieces and the rest of the asparagus spear into thin pieces (about ½ inch) at an angle. In a large bowl, toss the pieces of asparagus with 1 tsp kosher salt and
set aside.
In another bowl, combine the ricotta, gruyere, parmesan, garlic, a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes (or black pepper) and set aside.
Drain any fluid off asparagus, then pat it dry (if needed) with paper towel. Return it to the empty bowl; toss with olive oil, lemon zest and pepper to taste.
Heat oven to 400°. Take dough out of fridge. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a large, roundish shape, about 14 inches in diameter. Gently move dough to parchment paper on the baking sheet.
Spread ricotta mixture on the crust, leaving a 3 inch border bare. Spoon asparagus over the ricotta. Fold the border over the filling, gently pleating the edge to make it fit. The centre will be open. Don’t fuss, as it’s okay that it’s rustic.
Beat egg yolk with water; brush it over crust.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until crust is a lovely, golden colour. Sprinkle the pine nuts on top (if using). Serve warm.
