Pumpkin, browned butter and sage are a delicious trinity, as I learned eating handmade ravioli in Milan. Every time I combine them I am brought right back to that little trattoria so I had to design a recipe to enjoy them together again.
This pumpkin, sage and mascarpone galette recipe is a perfect introduction to pastry as it is rustic and free-form, filled with sweet roasted pumpkin, onions caramelised in sage infused brown butter and silky mascarpone with a hint of truffle.
Ingredients:
For the pastry
– 275g plain flour
– 150g cold butter (I use Kerrygold)
– 1/2 tsp salt
– 25g parmesan, finely grated
– 2 egg yolks
– 2-3 tbsp ice cold water
For the filling
– 1 medium pumpkin (1500g whole weight)
– 2 onions
– 50g butter
– 8 slices Parma ham
– 10 fresh sage leave, chopped
– 200g mascarpone
– 1 tsp truffle oil
– salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Method:
1. First, make the pastry. You can use a food processor, but if you have the time do get your hands dirty. Sift your flour into a large bowl and add salt and parmesan.
2. Dice your butter into 1 inch cubes and add to the flour. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. In a food processor, pulse until you reach this consistency but be careful not to overwork the flour.
3. Mix in the egg yolks and as much water as you need to make the dough come together in a ball.
4. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 1 hour.
5. Chop pumpkin into wedges, deseed and place on a baking tray. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper and pop in an oven preheated to 200C. Roast for 45 minutes or until golden and soft within. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before scooping the flesh out from the skin and mash until smooth.
6. In a frying pan on medium heat, fry the chopped sage leaves in butter for 2 minutes, add the onions and allow to caramelise for 8-10 minutes, soaking up the browned butter.
7. Add the caramelised sage onions to the pumpkin mash.
8. Add mascarpone to a bowl and mix in the truffle oil.
9. Reduce the oven temperature to 180C. Remove your pastry from the fridge and roll into a disk, 2-3mm thick. Place on a lined baking sheet and prick with a fork.
10. Place Parma ham slices on the center of the disk, leaving a 2cm border to fold over. Spread the truffled mascarpone on top, reserving a spoonful for decoration. Layer the pumpkin and sage mix on top.
11. Fold the edges of the pastry inward and brush the outside with either milk or egg wash.
12. Place in the oven and cook until golden, 35-40 minutes. (Since the pastry is not blind-baked it needs a longer cooking time.)
13.Meanwhile, crisp the remaining two slices of Parma ham in the oven, on a baking sheet for 5-7 minutes.
14. Top the galette with a few dots of mascarpone, parma ham crisps and some sage leaves and serve warm.
RECIPE BY DARINA COFFEY
Growing up with the name Darina, I was constantly asked if I could cook like my namesake. With that(and greed) as the ultimate motivator, I realised that baked goods make excellent bribes and an obsession was born! With bachelor’s and master’s degrees in law I undertook a PhD, but a preference for cookbooks to textbooks persisted. As a (self-confessed!) demon in the kitchen, I am the only person to have contested both Masterchef and the Great Irish Bake off, fuelling my desire to focus on food in a serious way. Working with TheTaste allows me to satisfy this craving and marries my food fascination with my love of writing and ranting.
Darina Coffey Darina Coffey