Spinach & Ricotta Galette

A friend once described me as a ‘Jamie Oliver type of cook’. I am relaxed and sometimes interpret measurements loosely… in Jamie's words,' a glug of olive oil’. And it’s very true! While I am very precise when writing my recipes and baking (where exact measurements are important - it’s all about chemistry), especially when cooking meals I make often, I am looser with measurements and cook more by feel. Perhaps that is why an unstructured galette appeals to me so much.

What is a galette?

The Happy Foodie describes a galette as “Golden, colourful, indulgent French galettes are the tart du jour of 2019, but what are they and how do you make them? Galettes refer to the catch-all term for a pastry base, topped with either sweet or savoury fillings with the edges roughly folded in to create a gorgeous, rustic-looking bake.” and “The word ‘galette’ comes from the Norman word ‘gale’, meaning flat cake, and is often used in French cuisine to talk about cakes that don’t require a tin, although it can also refer to round, flat cakes and the cheesy Breton galettes described below. The lack of a tin makes galettes especially popular as they’re easily adaptable and far more forgiving to make than traditional tart-making – simply roll out your pastry, top with your filling and fold it up roughly before popping it in the oven.”

Spinach and Ricotta - a perfect combination

I enjoy the traditional combination of spinach and ricotta cheese, but I love it even more when feta is added, as in this recipe. Spinach, with its fresh and slightly bitter taste, complements the mild, sweet, and creamy flavour of ricotta. The contrast enhances the taste of each ingredient without overpowering the other. I believe the feta just takes it up a notch.

Spread the spinach and ricotta filling over the pastry

Cover the filling with strips of pastry in a lattice design

Fresh out of the oven!

This recipe is super versatile. I like to make this sort of dish on a Sunday night when I have a little more time, and we are relaxed and often eat in front of the TV (terrible, I know!).

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Spinach & Ricotta Galette

Yield: 4

Author: Lee Newcombe

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 1 H & 5 M

A delicious, rustic spinach and ricotta pie that is perfect for Sunday night dinner, brunch or picnics.

Ingredients

Filling

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 onion chopped
• 120g (4 cups) baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt (plus pepper if you like it)
• ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
• ⅔ cup ricotta cheese
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg

Dough

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 85g cream cheese
• 2 eggs (one is for the egg wash)
• 1½ cups almond flour (fine)
• 1 teaspoon psyllium husk powder
• 1 tablespoon Don't Forget the Bagel seasoning (I use Mingle Seasonings, 'Whoops we Forgot the Bagel' seasoning mix)

Instructions

Filling

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
3. Add the spinach, onion powder, salt and cook for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, unit the spinach is bright green and wilted. Remove from the heat.
4. Add the feta, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese to the mixture and stir well.
5. Add the egg and stir until fully combined. Set aside.

Dough

1. Place the shredded mozzarella cheese and cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Microwave, uncovered, on high, for 1 – 2 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted.
3. Remove from the microwave and stir until the cheeses are combined.
4. Add the egg, psyllium husk powder, and almond flour to the cheese mixture.
5. Stir well until a stiff dough is formed.
6. Knead the dough by hand for 2 – 3 minutes to ensure all of the ingredients are fully mixed and the dough has a smooth consistency.

Assembly

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Divide the dough in half. On baking paper, roll out half to be a 20 x 30 cm, ½ cm thick rectangle. Spoon the filling onto the centre and spread it out, leaving a couple of cm border all the way around.
3. On a separate piece of baking paper, roll out the remaining pastry.
4. Cut into long strips about a cm thick. Depending on how you want to braid the top, use half as long lenghts and then cut the remainder in half for the cross sections.
5. Braid, or lay the strips crosswise diagonally in a criss cross pattern or as you feel inspired.
6. Press the strips into the dough around the edges firmly to close the galette.
7. Brush the top with the egg wash and sprinkle with Don't Forget the Bagels seasoning and salt (if desired).
8. Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and slightly puffed.
9. Remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

Please note: The nutritional information is included as a guide only.