Vegetarian
This addictive delicata squash and apple galette appetizer is quick to prep, and ideal warm, fresh from the oven. Delicata squash is worth looking for, as the skin is thin enough not to require peeling before roasting and eating.
As I've often written, I'm appetizer challenged. I typically resort to an assortment of cheeses and crackers. For a recent large party, I augmented this with pickled veggies I purchased. But sometimes, I crave a warm treat while I sip some wine and chat with guests. If you do too, then you totally need this Delicata Squash and Apple Galette.
What's Delicata Squash?
Delicata squash is a cream colored winter squash with green and orange stripes. It's shaped kind of like a Zeppelin or a blimp, shown below. The skin, or rind, is delicate – which gives this squash its name. This is a huge advantage of the cook who wants squash but doesn't want to take the time to peel it. Its flavor is also more delicate than, say, a butternut or acorn squash.
Once roasted, both the squash and its skin is completely edible. To prep it, just slice off the ends, and slice in half. It's best to stand it up on one of its ends to stabilize it on your work surface before slicing it. Using a spoon, scrape out the pulp and seeds. I discard them, but you can roast the seeds.
As a tip if you roast the seeds, I find it much easier to separate the seeds from the pulp if I put them all into a large bowl of water. I dip my hands in, and gently massage the seeds out of the pulp.
How To Use Delicata Squash in Recipes
My favorite way to use delicata squash is roasted. Years ago, I won a recipe development contest on Food52 for roasted Crispy Delicata Squash Rings with a Currant, Fennel and Apple Relish. It's still one of my favorite ways to use this squash. Especially for Thanksgiving, which is why I included it in my recent roundup of Vegetarian Thanksgiving Side Dishes.
Another fabulous way to use delicata is to stuff it, like this Stuffed Delicata Squash recipe that I included in my Vegetarian Thanksgiving Main Dishes roundup. This one is stuffed with apples, spinach, tofu, Serrano chili, raisins and topped with roasted pumpkin seeds.
Salads are another great way to use roasted delicata rings. And, obviously, this amazing Delicata Squash and Apple Galette. It's seriously addictive. Leftovers, in the remote chance there are any, can be re-warmed and served with a salad for lunch the next day.
Tips for Making Delicata Squash and Apple Galette
Leave the skin on both the squash and apple, and thinly slice with a sharp chef's knife. I don't recommend a mandoline for this. The skin of the squash is sometimes just thick enough to hang up on the blade.
Frozen puff pastry is the way to go on this recipe. DuFour Classic Puff Pastry is hands down my favorite. It uses all butter, which is critical to its fabulousness.
Extra tip: If you want a vegan option, go with Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets.
Be sure to follow the directions on the packages to thaw, roll out, and re-chill before using it. I lightly caramelize the onion and prep the squash and apple while the puff pastry sheet is chilling up.
Once the sheet is rolled out, smear on your favorite fig jam first. Then layer on the squash and apple slices, finishing with the caramelized onion. It's best to leave around a 1″ border, so you can easily fold in the dough to form a crust.
Extra tip: The onion will continue to caramelize in the oven, so I just do it lightly on the stove to get it going.
Don't waste a lot of time being precise when folding the dough up around the edges. This appetizer is designed to be rustic. I fold the dough in, and then fold it over itself again to create a big fluffy crust.
Extra tip: Baste the filling and dough with melted butter, to help everything brown.
Use a large spatula to slide the finished galette to a cutting board.
Use good quality honey for drizzling over the galette before serving. If you have any Manuka honey on hand, such as this Wedderspoon Raw Premium Manuka Honey, this is when to use it.
Make it Vegan
- Use Pepperidge Farm Frozen Pastry Sheets (link above)
- Eliminate the blue cheese or use a vegan blue cheese like what's found in this Gourmet Cheese 6-Pack from Reine Vegan Cuisine (pictured and linked below).
Substitute agave nectar or maple syrup, Grade B, for the honey. The flavor of agave nectar rings closest to honey. But while maple syrup introduces a completely different flavor, it pairs very well with the delicata squash and apples.
Delicata Squash and Apple Galette
Ingredients
- 1 Puff pastry sheet, thawed according the box directions
- 1/4 cup sliced red onion
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 delicata squash
- 1 apple, Fuji and Honey Crisp are both good choices
- 2 tablespoons fig jam
- 1 tablespoon honey, I used orange blossom hone
- 2 teaspoons crumbled blue cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Roll the pastry sheet out to an 11’’ X 11” square, on a lightly floured surface. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, and toss to coat. Sauté until lightly caramelized. To do this, once the onions warm up and relax, only move them around the skillet every 5 minutes or so, only to make sure they don't burn. Once they begin to brown and caramelize, reduce the heat to medium-low. This shouldn't take more than 30 minutes.
- Slice off the ends of the squash, and stand the squash up on its largest end. Hold the squash firmly, and slice in half, lengthwise. Using a spoon, ideally with a slightly pointed end, scrape out the seeds and pulp. If you want to save the seeds for roasting, place the pulp and seeds in a bowl of water. Separate the seeds by gently massaging them out of the pulp. Discard the pulp.
- Slice the squash halves into thin slices, around 1/4" thick, using a sharp chef's knife.
- Slice the apple into quarters and cut off the core. Cut the apple into thin slices, around 1/4" thick.
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and place on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spread the jam over the surface of the puff pastry, leaving a 1" border all around the edges. Arrange the squash and apple slices over the jam, and add the caramelized onion.
- Roll up the pastry edges to form a border all around the tart. I like to double it over itself. Melt the remaining butter and baste the tart edges. If you want your tart a little more buttery, also baste the tart filling with a little extra butter.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender, and the pasty bottom firms up. At sea level, this may only take 25 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven, drizzle with half of the honey, and add the blue cheese crumbles and rosemary. Bake an additional 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Drizzle with the remaining honey before serving.
- For additional tips, check the Notes!
Notes
Jeff the Chef says
I’m appetizer challenged, too, so it’s always good to find recipes like this.
The Wimpy Vegetarian says
Thanks so much Jeff! I’m glad I’m not alone in this 🙂