Pi Day

Happy pi day, y'all!

I thought I'd share something a little different with you: a savory beet galette. I've been doing a lot of natural dying for a special Easter project (more on that next week) and as a result, there were just way too many beets in my fridge. Come to think of it, that's more of a luxury than a problem. Anyway, I made this freeform pie using both beet root and beet greens. It was inspired by this and this.

I especially like galettes because unlike the number pi, they're imprecise. When a pie comes out of the oven looking weird, I frown and say it's a failure. When a galette comes out a bit wonky, I smile and call it "rustic." The filling doesn't have to be exact either. All you need is some cheese, a lot of greens, a handful of toasted nuts and a tiny bit of garlic. I suggest that you mix everything together in a blender and taste it before you add the egg.

If you're like me and would prefer that your galette look somewhat perfect, here's how you do it:
Roll the dough out into a large circle. Grab something that is round and has an 8" diameter, like a plate or a cake pan and place it in the middle, checking that you have about an extra 1.5" inches of space outside of the plate. Trim the edges with a paring knife so that they are even. Score around the plate with a fork, being extra careful not to poke all the way through the dough. Finally, when you lay down the filling... just stay inside the score marks!

For the crust:
(from The New York Times)
makes two 8" galettes

200g (1 3/4 cups) whole wheat flour
115g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
3/4t kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2t red wine vinegar
3/4 cup water

Mix flours, salt and oil together with your hands or in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Stream in water and vinegar just until a ball forms. Cut in two and roll into discs. Refrigerate for one hour, or up to a week before using.

Roll your dough out on top of parchment paper so that it will be easy to transfer to a baking sheet.

Note: My dough took closer to 1 1/4 cups water. When I make this again, I will use 1 teaspoon salt. Also, if you want your finished pastry to have a glossier look, brush it with a bit of cream or raw egg before baking. 

For the filling:
4-5 cups roughly chopped beet greens (or one bunch kale)
3oz chèvre
1/3 cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted
1 medium clove garlic, grated
1 large egg
about two or three large, cooked beets, sliced 1/4" thick*
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Place everything except for the beets in a food processor and pulse until it looks like chunky pesto. Pour filling onto the middle of a rolled out crust and smear it out to your score marks. Layer beets on top. Pinch dough edges all the way around to pleat it. Brush outside with egg or cream if using. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until crust is golden and the filling is cooked through.

* I usually roast my beets. For this galette, I actually used beets that I had boiled to make Easter egg dye. I discovered (too late, unfortunately) that chopped beets actually make better dye, but I don't see any reason why they would make a worse galette.