Loaded Mushroom Galette

This galette nearly bursts at the seams with mushroomy goodness. Instead of piling raw mushrooms directly onto pastry, sautéing them in advance cooks away some of their water content and concentrates their flavors. The humble cremini is like a button mushroom’s wiser older sibling, with a slightly earthier flavor. Then oyster mushrooms impart an even richer quality, making a great accent. Swooshed beneath the mushrooms, garlicky goat cheese (aka chèvre) adds a tangy, rich undertone. Meanwhile, nutty and aromatic Gruyère gets along great with both the mushrooms and shallots. And that cornmeal-speckled pastry? It’s made with thick yogurt for an extra tender crumb. This recipe makes two disks. Why do all the work of making dough, only to end up with one crust? I love having the extra pastry in the freezer for impromptu entertaining, or if I’m in a pinch for a meal. Make any savory galette with the extra disk: Swap fresh tomato slices and sautéed garlic instead of mushrooms; make an all-leek version; or load it with wilted winter greens and add a couple eggs towards the end, shakshuka-style. Pro tip—I like to roll out the pastry by lightly flouring a piece of parchment, then unwrapping the dough, flouring it and placing it on the parchment, then placing the plastic on top. This keeps everything neat and makes a cinch of transferring the dough on the parchment to chill as needed.

Loaded Mushroom Galette

Makes 1 galette

Prep Time: 30 minutes, plus at least 5 hours for chilling & freezing

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

DOUGH

• 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour

• ½ cup (72 grams) fine yellow cornmeal 

• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 cup (226 grams/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed and frozen for 10 minutes

• ½ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt

• 3 tablespoons ice water

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 

FILLING & ASSEMBLY

• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling 

• 4 small shallots, peeled and trimmed, halved lengthwise

• Kosher salt

• 12 ounces small creminis, stems trimmed and halved lengthwise

• 1½ tsp fresh thyme leaves

• 3 ounces oyster mushrooms, stems trimmed, large ones halved (or 3 ounces sliced shiitakes) 

• 4 ounces goat cheese

• 2 medium garlic cloves, finely grated

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more

• 3 oz Gruyère, coarsely grated (about 1 heaping cup)

• 1 large egg, beaten to blend

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

DOUGH

1. In a food processor, pulse the flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the pieces are pea-sized.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt, water, and vinegar. While pulsing, slowly drizzle in the yogurt mixture. Check to see that the dough has formed: It should hold together when squeezing a clump between your fingers.

3. Divide the dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Use the wrap to shape the portions into disks and tightly seal. Refrigerate the dough for at least 40 minutes or up to 3 days. (You only need one disk for this recipe. You can freeze the second one for up to 3 months.)

FILLING & ASSEMBLY DIRECTIONS

1. Drizzle enough oil to thinly coat the base of a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the shallots, cut side down, and season with salt. Cook, undisturbed, for about 5 minutes, until the bottoms are browned. Turn the shallots and reduce the heat to medium-low, adding more oil if the pan looks dry. After 2 to 4 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and transfer the shallots to a plate. 

2. Increase the heat to medium and drizzle enough oil to coat the bottom. Add the cremini mushrooms and agitate the pan to coat them in the oil, then make sure they’re all cut-side down; season with salt. Cook, undisturbed, for about 3 minutes, until the bottoms are golden. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes or so, until their liquid has cooked off and they are softened and golden. Transfer the mushrooms to a large shallow bowl. Stir in the thyme.

3. Drizzle the pan with oil and cook the oyster mushrooms, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden and crispy in places. Remove the pan from the heat and add the oyster mushrooms to the bowl with the creminis. Let cool to room temperature.

4. Take the dough out from the refrigerator 10 minutes before you plan to use it. On a lightly floured surface (see the Author Notes for tips), roll the dough into a circle 11 inches in diameter. If the dough becomes smeary or flabby at any point, transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan and refrigerate for 10 to 20 minutes. 

5. Mash the goat cheese, garlic, and black pepper together until uniform. Using a butter knife or offset spatula, spread the mixture across the base of the pastry, leaving a 2-inch border.

6. If any liquid has pooled at the bottom of the bowl with the mushrooms, strain and discard it. Add the Gruyère to the mushroom mixture and toss to combine. Pile this mixture onto the goat cheese and nestle the shallots on top.

7. Pleat and crimp the pastry, pressing the folds together with lightly wetted fingertips. Paint the pastry with the beaten egg. Season all over with pepper. 

8. Freeze the galette for about 4 hours until completely frozen—then either proceed to baking, or wrap tightly in parchment and foil and keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. 

9. Heat the oven to 400°F. Transfer the frozen galette to a room-temperature, parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake for 35 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for 7 to 10 more minutes, until the crust is deeply golden.

10. Cool on a wire rack for 10 to 30 minutes, so the crust is set but the cheese is still slightly melty. Slice into wedges and top with the parsley.