Leek, Courgette and Mozzarella Galette

Serves 6 (or even 8 if served with new potatoes and selection of veg and/or salads)

Preparation:  About an hour

Cooking Time: 30 - 35 mins For the pastry

My new discovery this Summer of 2022 has been the French Galette.   This is a delightful pastry offering where it is shaped into a round pie, but carefully folded in at the edges to contain the filling, some of which is exposed in the centre of the pie.   There are literally dozens of ideas both savoury and sweet, and this has inspired me to start a new section for these lovely pies.     Each of the recipes, I have discovered so far seem to have a variation of pastry ingredients  -some containing cheese, and or herbs, nuts, seeds and alternative flours - so each pie can be very individual.

My most valuable kitchen item is a silicon mat for making pastry then chilling wrapped in cling film;

and I also use an extra sheet of greaseproof paper for flipping the pastry.

This particular Galette is inspired by one of my favourite cookery writers - Nigel Slater - he just manages to make everything sounds so delicious and inviting and usually his recipes are fabulous.   

This particular Galette is very generous and will easily feed six people, or even eight if served with buttery new potatoes and a selection of veg and or salads.   You can also eat this cold and would be perfect for a picnic as it slices very neatly and retains it's shape.

Ingredients

•  350g plain flour
• 125g butter
• 60g parmesan, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons lemon thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped 
• 2 egg yolks
• 50-75 ml water

For the filling

• 250g courgettes, washed, trimmed and grated into a colander
• 2 large leeks, cut lengthways and then finely chopped
• 25g butter
• 2 tablespoons water
• 200g frozen peas
• one bunch of chives, finely chopped
• one large sprig mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of thyme leaves, carefully separated from stems
• Zest of one lemon
• 2 balls mozzarella, torn into chunks
• One egg a little beaten to finish

AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO.....

1. It is really essential to pick all your herbs from the garden first, unless you buy them from your supermarket and then to lay out all of your ingredients so that nothing is forgotten with a variety of bowls, chopping boards, a sharp knife so that once you get started then no time is wasted looking for forgotten items!
   
   
2. Heat the oven to 180C fan/gas mark 6.
   
   
3. To make the pastry:
   put the flour in a large, wide bowl then add the butter, cut into small cubes. Rub the butter and flour together between your thumbs and fingertips until you have a breadcrumb-like texture. Alternatively, pulse for a few seconds in a food processor. Quicker, and what I usually tend to do!
   
   
4. Add the parmesan, thyme and parsley then the egg yolks to the flour and butter. Combine, preferably with cool hands, adding enough water to produce a rollable dough. A minute of gentle kneading on a floured work surface will help. Wrap in kitchen film or greaseproof paper and chill for 20-30 minutes.
   
   
5. Make the filling:
   Wash, trip and coarsely grate the courgettes, then transfer to a colander. Sprinkle them generously with salt, then place the colander over a bowl and leave for 30 minutes. Afterwards, squeeze handfuls of the courgettes and press against the base of the colander or sieve to release as much liquid as possible.  This is essential, otherwise you will have completely soggy pastry.
   
   
6. Trim the leeks and discard tough leaves. Cut them in half lengthways then finely slice. Transfer to a separate colander and rinse under cold running water, then shake to remove any excess water.
   
   
7. Melt the butter in a large, wide pan over a low heat. Tip in the leeks, pour in the water then cover with either a lid or greaseproof paper or baking parchment and a lid. Cook for 10-12 minutes, with the occasional stir. The leeks should be soft, but without browning. 
   
   
8. Stir in the peas briefly until thawed.
   
   
9. Finely chop the chives and mint and add them, with the thyme, to the leeks.
   
   
10. Stir in the lemon zest.
    
    
11. Add squeezed courgettes into the leeks together with a grinding of pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes.
    
    
12. Break the mozzarella into large pieces, add to the filling and set aside.
    
    
13. To assemble the Galette:
    Roll the pastry on a lightly floured board into a large circle, then transfer to a parchment covered baking sheet.  The best way to do this is to lay the parchment onto the top of the floured rolled pastry and then the baking sheet onto the top of that, and then pull the silicon sheet snugly around the baking sheet, lift and turn it over smartly. You may need to slide the pastry into the centre of the baking try or baking pan.
    
    
14. Using a draining spoon, pile the filling into the centre of the pastry, leaving a 6cm rim of bare pastry around the edge and pressing the filling against the side of the pan to remove any liquid as you go. I used kitchen paper to soak up some excess liquid. Bring the rim up and loosely fold over the filling, leaving an open area in the middle . 
    
    
15. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg and the exposed vegetables with olive oil and bake for 30 - 35 minutes until the pastry is golden. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.