zucchini ricotta galette.

I should try to make more summer-focused things that take advantage of the fresh, in season produce. This way, the wonderful flavor of the fruits or vegetable themselves can highlight the dish.

This galette = summer. It's like those analogies that used to be on the SAT.

Perfect with salad for a light summer dinner. The crust is perfectly flaky.

This galette takes work. Planning can definitely diffuse that, however.

First, you need to make and chill the sour cream dough. It's super sticky. Make sure you do this first.

Then you have to slice the zucchini into rounds and salt them to draw out moisture. This way, the galette (when baking) doesn't get soggy. I remembered halfway through that diagonal cuts might have been more attractive. But who gives a monkey's kaboose if they're round or diagonal. Cut em triangular if you so please! Although that would be a little more time consuming ..

Mix olive oil & garlic. Easy peasy. Except I hate peeling garlic. And I don't use that trick I always saw Giada use - where you BAM smash the garlic with a large knife and then peel.

New small orange silicon spatulas!!! So vibrant. So vivid.

Mix the cheeses for the filling. So much preparation, gosh. I like mixing ricotta though, it makes fun slurpy noises.

Add some of the garlic olive oil to the ricotta mixture.

Roll out the dough. Fit onto large baking sheet.

Top dough with the cheese mixture & arrange zucchini rounds (or diagonals or triangles) prettily over the cheese filling. Pour olive oil over the zucchini. Fold up edges of dough to partially enclose the deliciousness inside. Apply an egg wash liberally to the folded up edges.

Bake till browned and gleaming. Not like an orange tanning booth tan, you want a golden crust.

Let cool slightly, but definitely eat warm. If having leftovers, heat in the oven, wrapped in foil. It will get beautiful again.

Zucchini Ricotta Galette
from here. 
tip: if you want to try this method - instead of cutting the cold butter into tiny chunks and chilling again, just freeze the stick of butter & grate it into the dry mixture. handy little tip for y'all. 

Dough

• 1 1/4 cups flour, chilled in freezer for 30 mins (use mostly all-purpose, if mixing with whole wheat at all) 
• 1/4 tspn salt 
• 8 Tb (or 1 stick) cold, unsalte butter, cut into small pieces and chilled again 
• 1/4 cup sour cream (I used light) 
• 2 tspns lemon juice (fresh pref., but I used bottled juice) 
• 1/4 cup ice water 

Filling

• 1 large or 2 small zucchinis, sliced into 1/4" thick rounds 
• 1 overflowing Tb olive oil 
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced (just estimate) 
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese 
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded mozzarella 
• 1 Tb slivered basil leaves 

Egg wash

• 1 egg yolk beaten with a tiny bit milk or water 

1. Whisk flour & salt. Cut in the butter, unless it resembles coarse meal. The biggest piece of butter shouldn't be bigger than the size of a pea. 
2. Add sour cream, lemon juice, and water. Mix in with fingertips or wooden spoon until large lumps form. Pat lumps into a ball. Do not overwork dough; it will be sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

Filling 

1. Spread zucchini out over paper towels. Sprinkle with 1/2 tspn salt and let drain about 30 minutes. gently blot the tops with the same (or fresh) paper towels. 
2. In a small bowl, whisk the oil and garlic. 
3. In a separate bowl, mix the three cheeses and a litte of the garlic olive oil. Season with salt & pepper, to taste. 

Assembly 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Unwrap the dough so that the ball rests on the plastic wrap. Flour the top of it and the rolling pin. 
2. Roll out the dough to about a 12" round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet, lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper, if possible (for easy transfer later). 
3. Spread the cheese filling over the dough, leaving a 2" border. 
4. Arrange the zucchini rounds in an attractive manner over the cheese filling, starting at the outermost border. Drizzle the remaining garlic olive oil over the zucchini. Fold the dough over the zucchini to partially cover it, just a little. The center should remain open, but the edges should be securely pleated. Brush crust with the egg wash. 
5. Bake the galette for about 30-40 minutes, until the cheese is slightly puffed, the zucchini is a little wilted looking, and the crust is a beautiful golden brown. Remove from the oven, and let sit about five to ten minutes. 
6. Transfer to a serving plate or large cutting board, to complete the rustic feel. Sprinkle with basil. Cut into wedges and serve hot or warm.