Two Squashes and Two Mushroom Galette

About a week and a half ago our local paper published a recipe by Jacques Pepin, one of the great chefs and cooks, and one who is very approachable. The recipe was for a root vegetable galette, or rustic pie. It sounded delicious and was the inspiration for the dish I baked for dinner tonight. The only matching ingredient other than salt and pepper was the egg wash, so it really is my own recipe, but I appreciate the inspiration.

My galette has delicata and butternut squash, yellow onion, Portobello and button mushrooms, and Greek yogurt, plus a store-bought pie dough round from Pillsbury. I grew both of the squashes, so it was fun to finally be able to use them. Usually I don't peel the delicata squash but I did this time since I wanted it to be easy to eat. For flavor I used black pepper, garlic salt, dried thyme, zatar, cayenne pepper and minced Italian parsley. This may be the best savory galette I've ever made. The butternut and Portobello both contributed a sort of meaty mouthfeel and plenty of flavor, while the delicata squash, caramelized onion, and browned button mushrooms added both flavor and texture of a lighter sort. The yogurt brought a mellowness and the pie crust held it together and added another, flaky, texture.

Because squash come in all kinds of sizes, some of the measurements here are approximate. I had enough slices of the butternut squash to cover the bottom where the yogurt had been spread. The thinly sliced raw delicata squash filled a sandwich bag. Even the measurements for the spices are approximate because I like only a dusting of cayenne, but you might enjoy more heat. I guess this recipe is for experience cooks who know how much seasonings and fillings they like.

If you use a pie dough made with vegetable shortening, and use a non-dairy yogurt, this makes a great vegan entrée. If you're not vegan, you could use regular yogurt, pie dough with butter, and throw in some cooked sausage or bacon. Use this for inspiration like I did and make it your own!

Squash and Mushroom Galette
Makes one galette to serve 6-8 people

The mushrooms and onions:
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
6 button mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced
1/2 large Portobello mushroom, gills removed, stem removed, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon each garlic salt and ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

The squash:
1/2 delicata squash, peeled, halved, seeds removed, very thinly sliced
1/4 butternut squash (I used the neck end),seeds removed, peeled and steamed until barely tender, sliced 1/8-inch thick
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon each garlic salt and ground pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, divided
a dash of cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon zatar

The pie: 
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 round prepared pie dough (I use Pillsbury ReadyCrust)
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
1 egg, whisked or beaten with a fork in a small bowl

For baking: a sheet of baking parchment paper and a baking sheet or pizza pan, pastry brush

For the mushrooms and onions: 
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions and cook, stirring often, for two (2) minutes, then stir in the mushrooms and garlic, garlic salt and pepper, and thyme and cook for a few seconds, then turn heat down to the lowest setting, cover, and let cook another two (2) minutes.  Uncover, return heat to medium-high, and continue cooking, stirring often, until onions are lightly caramelized, about another 4-5 minutes. (This process releases the moisture in the mushrooms so that you can cook it away and create more flavor at the same time.) Set aside to cool.

For the squash:
Put the prepared delicata squash in a ziploc bag and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon each garlic salt and pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of the thyme. Close bag and shake well to distribute the seasonings and oil. Set aside.

Lay the slices of butternut squash out on a tray or plate, sprinkle with the remaining olive oil, garlic salt, pepper, dried thyme, cayenne and the zatar. Set aside.

For the pie:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Sprinkle a clean work surface with the flour (I use a large, clean cutting board I use only for baking).
Lay the pie dough round on the floured surface and gently roll, if necessary to make a round 14" in diameter. Place the baking parchment on the baking sheet or pizza pan and carefully transfer the dough round to the parchment. Use a rolling pin to help lift and transfer the dough if needed.

In the middle of the dough round, spread the plain Greek yogurt using the back of a spoon or a spatula. Work carefully so that you don't put a hole in the dough. Leave the outer 2-3 inches of the dough bare. (See photo above.)

Take the prepared butternut squash and make a layer over the yogurt, then spread the mushroom-onion mixture over that, then add the delicata slices over that, mounding in the middle. Sprinkle the minced Italian parsley over all. Bend the uncovered dough up and over the filling, pleating as necessary. Using the pastry brush, brush the egg wash over the folded up dough.

Bake in the preheated oven until filling is sizzling and dough is deep golden brown, about 25-40 minutes, depending on the amount of filling. Start checking at the beginning time and keep checking every few minutes until galette is baked.

Let cool on a cooling rack for 5 minutes, then serve while still warm.