Rainbow Chard Galette

Rainbow Chard Galette | Me & The Moose. This galette is a super-easy show stopper for Easter and beyond! we ate it for dinner last night and the preschooler didn’t bat an eye at the heaps of greens. #meandthemoose #rainbowchard #sidedishes #vege…

This Rainbow Chard Galette is so good (I mean, there’s cheese and puff pastry, what’s not to love) and a serious show stopper for your Easter feast (or any day, really).

Take me to the recipe!

OVENS, amiright? It recently occurred to me that the real secret to successful baking is knowing your oven well. I mean, measuring and experience and bringing things to room temperature and patience are also important, but seriously, if you know that your oven runs hot or cool or that it has uneven spots, you can really up your baking game.

As you can tell, I’m still adjusting to our oven even though we’ve lived in our current house for almost two years.

Luckily, I’ve found that store-bought puff pastry is fairly forgiving. As long as your filling isn’t too wet and the oven is at least 400 degrees, you’re pretty safe.

Which makes this easy galette a reliable option for your holiday table.

Rainbow Chard Galette | Me & The Moose. This galette is a super-easy show stopper for Easter and beyond! we ate it for dinner last night and the preschooler didn’t bat an eye at the heaps of greens. #meandthemoose #rainbowchard #sidedishes #vege…
Rainbow Chard Galette | Me & The Moose. This galette is a super-easy show stopper for Easter and beyond! we ate it for dinner last night and the preschooler didn’t bat an eye at the heaps of greens. #meandthemoose #rainbowchard #sidedishes #vege…

A couple of notes:

  • I like to rip the greens off of the stems and then arrange the stems in a way that flexes my OCD muscles. HOWEVER, you can opt to chop everything together to save time and that’s perfectly acceptable.

  • Roasting garlic makes the flavor mellow and mild, which I like here because it lets the chard sing. But if you like a stronger garlic flavor, chop the cloves and saute them with the spring onions and greens instead of roasting. Or you can do half and half.

  • This galette really needs salt. I salt at the beginning and end of wilting the greens and then finish with some more salt. I like salt. If you don’t, I urge you to salt at the beginning and end of wilting (and taste test to make sure it’s not too much) and then skip the final salting rather than waiting to add salt at the end.

Rainbow Chard Galette | Me & The Moose. This galette is a super-easy show stopper for Easter and beyond! we ate it for dinner last night and the preschooler didn’t bat an eye at the heaps of greens. #meandthemoose #rainbowchard #sidedishes #vege…
Rainbow Chard Galette | Me & The Moose. This galette is a super-easy show stopper for Easter and beyond! we ate it for dinner last night and the preschooler didn’t bat an eye at the heaps of greens. #meandthemoose #rainbowchard #sidedishes #vege…
Rainbow Chard Galette | Me & The Moose. This galette is a super-easy show stopper for Easter and beyond! we ate it for dinner last night and the preschooler didn’t bat an eye at the heaps of greens. #meandthemoose #rainbowchard #sidedishes #vege…

Rainbow chard galette


Time: 50-60 minutes (about 30 minutes active time, depending on how intense you get about arranging the chard stems)
Yield: 9 medium pieces

 

4 large garlic cloves
2 Tbsp olive oil + more for roasting the garlic (about ½ cup)
2 large spring onions (white/purple and green parts), chopped (about 1 heaping cup) sub scallions if necessary
10 cups chard leaves, measured after chopping, lightly packed (about 2 medium bundles)
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp kosher salt (a few big pinches)
A few cracks of black pepper
1 cup ricotta
3/4 cup nutty cheese like gruyere or aged Gouda, shredded
1 puff pastry sheet
1 Tbsp roasted garlic oil (from earlier roasted garlic)
1 egg, whisked

Preheat oven to 425.

Smash four garlic cloves (no need to remove the skin) and place in an oven-safe ramekin. Add enough olive oil to cover the garlic. Cook in the oven for 6-8 minutes, or until you start to smell garlic and the cloves are fork tender.

Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a very large skillet. Add the spring onions and sauté until translucent and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add the greens and a large pinch of salt. Cook until wilted, about 8-10 minutes.

Add the balsamic vinegar, another large pinch of salt, and a few cracks of fresh black pepper and stir a few times.

Once wilted, place the onions and greens into a large bowl. Add the cheeses and roasted garlic. Mix well.

On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry dough to a thickness of 1/8th to 1/16th of an inch (about 1/3 bigger than original packaging). Move the dough to your sheet pan.

Spread the greens and cheese on the puff pastry, leaving a 1-inch frame. Fold the bare edges over onto the greens and cheese mixture.  

Arrange the chard stems in your desired pattern.

Brush the chard stems with 1 Tbsp roasted garlic oil.

Brush the lightly beaten egg over the visible parts of the pastry crust.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the bottom and the edges are golden brown.

Rainbow Chard Galette | Me & The Moose. This galette is a super-easy show stopper for Easter and beyond! we ate it for dinner last night and the preschooler didn’t bat an eye at the heaps of greens. #meandthemoose #rainbowchard #sidedishes #vege…
Rainbow Chard Galette | Me & The Moose. This galette is a super-easy show stopper for Easter and beyond! we ate it for dinner last night and the preschooler didn’t bat an eye at the heaps of greens. #meandthemoose #rainbowchard #sidedishes #vege…

Green bean galette

IMG_6141.jpg

Thanksgiving is almost here folks, hard as that might be to believe.

IMG_6146.jpg

I feel very lucky to have like-minded family with whom to share the holidays. But if you're facing a tense gathering next week, just make this galette and shove it into anyone's mouth who steers the conversation down a treacherous path. Or, take your own giant bite, close your eyes, and pretend to be somewhere else. That's what I would do.

We've eaten this galette quite a few times since the calendar struck September and I decided it was time to eat "cozy food." I suppose it's more work than your average green bean casserole made with prefab ingredients, but if you have any inkling to make your own fried onions or mushroom soup, then this galette will require similar skill, time, and brain power, if not less. 

Making a quick bechamel instead of using grated cheese would certainly take this guy up a notch and be even closer to a real green bean casserole, but in the spirit of making things quickly and easily, I went for the more straightforward approach. No need to pre-cook the green beans, but definitely caramelize the onions and toast the breadcrumbs before baking.

This galette is also delicious with some ham (or leftover turkey) and an egg on top.

IMG_6135.jpg

Green bean galette

1 sheet puff pastry
3 oz gruyere, grated
6-8 oz green beans, trimmed
½ large onion or 3-4 large shallots
2 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup whole wheat panko
½ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 425. Roll out a sheet of puff pastry dough into a large rectangle on a piece of parchment. Grate gruyere and spread over the puff pastry, leaving a 1-inch boarder.

Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat and add the onions, cooking until they begin to brown and caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add the breadcrumbs and salt and sauté until fragrant and toasted, about 5 minutes.

Place the raw green beans on the puff pastry and cheese, leaving the 1-inch border. Spread the breadcrumb mixture over the green beans and fold the border over the edges of the green beans and breadcrumbs.

Bake for 18-23 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.

Yield: 6 portions

IMG_6158.jpg
IMG_6225.jpg

Carrot and ricotta turnovers

Carrot and ricotta turnovers | Me & The Moose. The puree that fills these barely sweet turnovers is delicious on its own or as baby food, a toddler pouch, or a dip. Premade puff pastry dough makes this an easy treat to whip up for unexpected holiday guests. #meandthemoose #carrotrecipes #desserts #babypuree #toddlerfood #carrotandricottaturnovers #turnoverrecipes

A barely sweet puree that can double as baby food, a toddler pouch, a crostini spread, or a dessert-y dip gets wrapped in store-bought puff pastry and quickly baked in a super hot oven to make an easy appetizer or unexpected guests or an unexpected side on a holiday table.

Take me to the recipe!

Carrot and ricotta turnovers | Me & The Moose. The puree that fills these barely sweet turnovers is delicious on its own or as baby food, a toddler pouch, or a dip. Premade puff pastry dough makes this an easy treat to whip up for unexpected holiday guests. #meandthemoose #carrotrecipes #desserts #babypuree #toddlerfood #carrotandricottaturnovers #turnoverrecipes

I keep choosing holiday recipes that are either multi-stepped, super complicated, or painstaking. I mean, who doesn't love sugar cookies painted with luster dust and puppy cupcakes? But not every holiday dessert or appetizer has to be a labor of love, know what I mean?

These carrot turnovers are a little sweet, a little savory and completely delicious. They're also easy to put together and seem fancier than they actually are. And there are vegetables! I made these guys fairly large when they were just a part of our dinner, but for a crowd, I would cut the rolled out pastry dough into 12 squares and check them after about 14 minutes of cooking.

Carrot and ricotta turnovers | Me & The Moose. The puree that fills these barely sweet turnovers is delicious on its own or as baby food, a toddler pouch, or a dip. Premade puff pastry dough makes this an easy treat to whip up for unexpected holiday guests. #meandthemoose #carrotrecipes #desserts #babypuree #toddlerfood #carrotandricottaturnovers #turnoverrecipes

Carrot and ricotta turnovers | Me & The Moose. The puree that fills these barely sweet turnovers is delicious on its own or as baby food, a toddler pouch, or a dip. Premade puff pastry dough makes this an easy treat to whip up for unexpected holiday guests. #meandthemoose #carrotrecipes #desserts #babypuree #toddlerfood #carrotandricottaturnovers #turnoverrecipes

Carrot and ricotta turnovers | Me & The Moose. The puree that fills these barely sweet turnovers is delicious on its own or as baby food, a toddler pouch, or a dip. Premade puff pastry dough makes this an easy treat to whip up for unexpected holiday guests. #meandthemoose #carrotrecipes #desserts #babypuree #toddlerfood #carrotandricottaturnovers #turnoverrecipes

A couple of notes:

  • The puree inside of these turnovers makes a lovely baby or toddler puree. For babies under a year, sub maple syrup for the honey (or leave out the sweetener entirely).

  • If using store-bought ricotta (which, let’s face it, we ALL ARE), consider draining the cheese a bit if it seems very watery in the container. I usually give it a squeeze or two in a cheese cloth or just let is sit in a fine mesh sieve while you prep the rest of the ingredients.

Carrot and ricotta turnovers | Me & The Moose. The puree that fills these barely sweet turnovers is delicious on its own or as baby food, a toddler pouch, or a dip. Premade puff pastry dough makes this an easy treat to whip up for unexpected holiday guests. #meandthemoose #carrotrecipes #desserts #babypuree #toddlerfood #carrotandricottaturnovers #turnoverrecipes

Carrot and ricotta turnovers


Time: about 40 minutes, mostly active
Yield: About 2 cups of puree; 6- 12 turnovers, depending on size

2 large carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium apple, peeled and diced (about 1/2 cup)
½ cup whole milk ricotta, drained if very watery
1 - 1 1/2 Tbsp honey, to taste
4 large sprigs fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried thyme, plus more to taste
Pinch salt, to taste
1 sheet puff pastry dough
1 egg, lightly beaten (optional)
1 Tbsp water, milk, or cream (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425.

Chop the carrots and apples. Place the carrots in a deep pot and cover with cold water, plus one inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once the carrots are boiling, add a steamer basket* on top and steam the apples for 10 minutes while the carrots boil below.

*If you don’t have a. steamer basket, boil the carrots for 8-9 minutes or until fork tender and then drop in the apples and cook for 2-3 minutes more.

Drain the apples and carrots and let cool slightly.

Pulse the cooked carrots and apples with the ricotta, honey, thyme, and salt. Add 1 Tbsp water or apple juice/cider if necessary to bring the mixture together in your food processor or blender.

Cut a piece of parchment that is slightly larger than your sheet pan. Place the puff pastry dough on the parchment and gently roll out the dough to lengthen it, allowing you to cut out squares instead of rectangles. Cut into 6 squares. Move your parchment and dough onto the sheet pan. Spoon 2 Tbsp of the carrot, apple, thyme, and cheese mixture into the bottom corner of the turnovers. Fold over to make triangles and gently press the sides together.

Optional: Crack the egg into a bowl and add the liquid. Lightly beat with a fork to combine the white, yolk, and liquid. Brush the tops of each triangle with a little bit of egg wash.

Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown.