Onion, Asparagus & Goats Cheese Galette

I didn’t have cream and so instead of making a quiche I decided on a galette, which is basically a quiche without the custard. There are many elements to this Onion, Asparagus & Goats Cheese galette and so I decided to break them into bite-sized chunks of effort. I started on Friday by making the pastry, then I did the onions and the next element was the asparagus. I put them all into the fridge to give me time to fall in love with the idea again and to see how I wanted to pull them together. Time to think and goats cheese did the trick and by Sunday I was ready to get going again. And that was my creative process with this galette. Sometimes walking away from an idea to let it percolate in the back of my mind really helps to bring a new idea to the table. And this one was worth all that thinking and percolating.

Onion, Asparagus & Goats Cheese Galette

Ingredients

Galette Pastry

• 130 g bread flour
• 130 g cake flour
• 30 g cornflour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp Hot English Mustard
• 180 g butter cold and cubed
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsps white wine vinegar stops pastry from oxidising and going grey
• 60-90 ml iced water

Asparagus

• 1 tbls olive oil
• 4 spring onion stems finely sliced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 175 g asparagus

Balsamic onions

• 2 tbls olive oil
• 1 tbls butter
• 2 red onions finely sliced
• 2 tsps balsamic glaze

Cheese mix

• 100 g goats cheese
• 50 g mascarpone
• 7 g garlic minced
• 1 tbls water
• 60 g feta
• 15 g pine nuts lightly toasted
• 75 g bocconcini mozzerella

Garnish

• 5 sprigs fresh oreganum
• balsamic glaze
• olive oil

Instructions

pastry

• In a blender with blade attachment, add the flours, salt, mustard and blend until mixed. Add the cold butter and blitz blend until bread crumbs form.
  130 g bread flour, 130 g cake flour, 30 g cornflour, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp Hot English Mustard, 180 g butter
• Add the egg yolk and vinegar and water 2 tbls at a time while machine is continuing to blend the ingredients together to form a dough. The dough must come together but not be too wet and sticky. Tip onto baking paper and shape into a round flat disk. Cover and rest in fridge for 1 hour or more until needed. It will keep for 3 days in the fridge.
  1 egg yolk, 2 tsps white wine vinegar, 60-90 ml iced water

Asparagus

• In a pan on medium high heat add the oil and when bubbling add the onions. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and asparagus and cook for a further 3 minutes. Season and set aside to cool.
  1 tbls olive oil, 4 spring onion stems finely sliced, 1 clove garlic minced, 175 g asparagus

Onions

• In a pan on medium high heat add the oil, butter and when bubbling add the onions. Cook for 10 minutes until they turn a sticky red brown in texture and colour. Stir intermittently to ensure they do not burn. Place a lid on pot to slow the process down or add a tbls water now and again. Stir trough the glaze and cook for a further minute. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool
  2 tbls olive oil, 1 tbls butter, 2 red onions finely sliced, 2 tsps balsamic glaze

Cheese

• Add the goats cheese, mascarpone, garlic, pinch of salt and water in a bowl and mix together to form a spreadable paste.
  100 g goats cheese, 50 g mascarpone, 7 g garlic minced, 1 tbls water

Assemble

• Roll out pastry into a 30cm round shape. Place on baking paper on a baking sheet. Spread goats cheese mix on base leaving a 2cm edge around the circumference of the pastry. Top with half the cooled onions and asparagus. Crumble the feta and ½ the pine nuts evenly on top. Repeat the next layer with the remaining onions and asparagus. Tear the bocconcini and scatter them over the top, adding the rest of the pine nuts. Add salt and pepper. Fold the 2cm edge of the pastry over and in to the filling creating a border. Brush with egg white and place in fridge while oven comes to temperature
  60 g feta, 15 g pine nuts lightly toasted, 75 g bocconcini mozzerella
• Heat the oven to 200ºC and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown. Check after 30 minutes to ensure the pastry isn't getting too brown. If it is cover with foil or baking paper. Serve warm and garnish with oreganum, balsamic glaze and a drizzle of olive oil
  5 sprigs fresh oreganum, balsamic glaze, olive oil

Notes

Tip to save time

Use ready bought shortcrust pastry. Just be aware of the ultra processed ingredients they may contain.  If your health is more important to you try make your own pastry in advance and freeze it.

Tomatoes go really well with this galette